Riyadh Municipality Signs IoT Smart City Deal

Riyadh Region Municipality has signed a cooperation agreement with IoT Squared (iot²) to expand the use of digital solutions and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies across urban development, operational efficiency, and city services in the capital during 2026. The agreement was concluded on the sidelines of LEAP 2026 and forms part of national efforts under the “Year of Artificial Intelligence” initiatives.

The partnership focuses on smart management of municipal services and data-driven urban decision-making. Targeted areas include smart monitoring of public facilities and infrastructure through IoT sensors, and optimizing irrigation systems in green areas using connected sensors and data analytics to reduce waste and improve efficiency.

The agreement also covers smart tracking and electronic identification of municipal vehicle fleets — including waste and cemetery/transit vehicles — via wireless tagging technologies, along with enhanced municipal control and detection of urban visual distortions using artificial intelligence and geospatial and imagery analysis.

The cooperation is designed to integrate with digital platforms and smart city initiatives already in use by the municipality, such as smart parking systems that combine digital payment with sensor-based monitoring of parking spaces, and data-driven urban planning and quality-of-life projects relying on IoT and AI analytics.

Why it matters

For residents in Riyadh, the agreement points to steadier improvements in everyday city services — from more efficient watering of public greenery to smarter parking and cleaner urban surroundings. The agreement is institutional and technical in nature. As of September 21, 2026, it does not introduce any direct fees for residents, businesses, or investors, and it does not create new end-user charges through Absher, Muqeem, Qiwa, Najiz, Nafath, or Tawakkalna. No new municipal service validity periods, renewal durations, or fee changes have been published in connection with this cooperation, and beneficiaries will continue to use existing municipal and smart city systems.

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