Saudi fund deposits $250.8m into Sakani accounts to drive homeownership

This financial injection is a part of the fund’s continuous efforts to enhance housing affordability for families. File
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Updated 25 August 2023
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Saudi fund deposits $250.8m into Sakani accounts to drive homeownership

RIYADH: In a bid to further support Saudi families in their pursuit of homeownership, the Saudi Real Estate Development Fund has deposited SR941 million ($250.8 million) into Sakani accounts during August, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.

The initiative, coordinated by the REDF in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipal, Rural and Housing, underscores the fund’s commitment to supporting Sakani beneficiaries.

This financial injection is a part of the fund’s continuous efforts to enhance housing affordability for families and drive the realization of the housing program’s objectives, which are integral to the Saudi Vision 2030 framework.

Since its launching in June 2017, the total deposits in the accounts of the program’s beneficiaries have surpassed SR51.2 billion.

To streamline the process, the fund set up electronic channels to enable people to update the construction phases of their homes, ensuring the required engineering and technical standards are met.

The Kingdom aims to increase the proportion of Saudi households that own a house from 47 percent in 2016 to 70 percent by 2030.

The fund recently announced it had inked finance agreements worth SR13.7 billion ($3.64 billion) in the first quarter of 2023.

According to the quarterly report of the Kingdom’s National Development Fund, the deals sought to offer housing benefits to 21,000 citizens in the three months to the end of March this year.


Saudi Arabia ranks 2nd globally in digital government, World Bank 2025 index shows


Updated 18 December 2025
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Saudi Arabia ranks 2nd globally in digital government, World Bank 2025 index shows


WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia has achieved a historic milestone by securing second place worldwide in the 2025 GovTech Maturity Index released by the World Bank.

The announcement was made on Thursday during a press conference in Washington, DC, which evaluated 197 countries.

The Kingdom excelled across all sub-indicators, earning a 99.64 percent overall score and placing it in the “Very Advanced” category.

It achieved a score of 99.92 percent in the Core Government Systems Index, 99.90 percent in the Public Service Delivery Index, 99.30 percent in the Digital Citizen Engagement Index, and 99.50 percent in the Government Digital Transformation Enablers Index, reflecting some of the highest global scores.

This includes outstanding performance in digital infrastructure, core government systems, digital service delivery, and citizen engagement, among the highest globally.

Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Suwaiyan, governor of the Digital Government Authority, attributed this achievement to the unwavering support of the Saudi leadership, strong intergovernmental collaboration, and effective public-private partnerships.

He highlighted national efforts over recent years to re-engineer government services and build an advanced digital infrastructure, which enabled Saudi Arabia to reach this global standing.

Al-Suwaiyan emphasized that the Digital Government Authority continues to drive innovation and enhance the quality of digital services, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, supporting the national economy and consolidating the Kingdom’s transformation goals.

The 2025 GTMI data reflects Saudi Arabia’s excellence across key areas, including near-perfect scores in core government systems, public service delivery, digital citizen engagement, and government digital transformation enablers. This balanced performance places the Kingdom firmly in the “Grade A” classification for very advanced countries, demonstrating the maturity of its digital government ecosystem.

Saudi Arabia’s progress in the index has been remarkable: from 49th place in the 2020 edition, to third in 2022, and now second in 2025, confirming its status as a global leader in digital transformation and innovation.

The achievement also reflects the Kingdom’s focus on putting people at the center of digital transformation, enhancing user experience, improving government efficiency, and integrating artificial intelligence and emerging technologies across public services.