New Spokesperson Named at Ministry of Municipalities, Housing

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has appointed Ahmed bin Awadh Al-Dhafiri as its official spokesperson, effective August 2026. The role focuses on strengthening communication with the public and media, boosting transparency around the Ministry's projects and initiatives, and clarifying policies and services across the municipal and housing sectors.

The appointment comes under the Ministry's current name, the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, following the amendment of its former title by Royal Order in 2024.

What it means for residents

For residents and expats in Riyadh, Jeddah and other cities, the move signals a clearer point of contact for questions about municipal and housing matters. The spokesperson's remit is communication and representation rather than a separate, fee-based service, so no fees or fixed timelines are tied to the appointment itself.

The Ministry continues to handle public inquiries through several channels: the Sakani Beneficiaries Care Center on 199090, the Balady Customer Care Center on 199040, and Balady municipal reports for emergency or municipal issues on 940. It also operates official social media customer care accounts and dedicated WhatsApp business numbers for housing and municipal questions.

Most municipal and housing services — such as construction permits, professional and commercial municipal licenses, and municipal violation services — are requested and followed up electronically through the Balady platform and the Ministry's e-services portal, with access via the unified national login. Fees, validity periods and steps vary by service and municipality and appear within each service screen.

As of mid-2026, the Ministry is emphasizing digital transformation of municipal services, automation of procedures, and faster response times, alongside expanded online channels for beneficiaries' inquiries and complaints.

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