Riyadh, 12 Jumada Al-Awwal 1447 AH, corresponding to 03 November 2025 — SPA The Municipal Compliance Program “Muthul”, under Remat Riyadh for Development—the development arm of Riyadh Municipality and the strategic enabler for private-sector partnership—is participating in Bibaan 2025, organized by the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) from 5 to 8 November at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center, under the theme “A Global Destination for Opportunities.” Muthul’s participation aims to introduce visitors to its role in developing a modern regulatory model based on awareness and empowerment, and to highlight its impact on improving the business environment and enhancing municipal services in Riyadh. The program also showcases initiatives and best practices that contribute to strengthening self-compliance among commercial establishments. The Muthul pavilion features an interactive presentation demonstrating the shift from traditional oversight to an empowerment-based model, in addition to a workshop titled “Municipal Compliance in Enabling Small and Medium Enterprises,” scheduled for Friday, 7 November, which will shed light on compliance practices as a key enabler of growth and sustainability. This participation reflects the role of Remat Riyadh for Development—as the development arm of Riyadh Municipality and a strategic enabler of private-sector partnership—in elevating the quality of municipal services and enhancing quality of life in the capital.

The Municipal Compliance Program “Muthul,” under Remat Riyadh for Development—the development arm of Riyadh Municipality and the strategic enabler for private-sector partnership—launched today its first awareness campaign titled “Fahim wa Salim,” which focuses on promoting understanding and safety concepts between establishments and consumers. The “Muthul” program aims to enhance awareness among business owners while ensuring consumer protection and the application of the highest health and safety standards. This comes as part of its strategic role in strengthening partnerships with the private sector to elevate the quality of municipal services and contribute to improving the quality of life in the city of Riyadh. The program encourages establishments to achieve the required level of understanding by complying with municipal and health regulations and requirements to ensure safety. This includes ensuring establishments are free of major and minor violations, and safeguarding all parties involved—consumers, workers, and business owners. It also emphasizes the importance of building an effective relationship based on understanding and safety between business owners and consumers. It is worth noting that Remat Riyadh for Development has served, since late 2021, as a strategic enabler for private-sector partnership with the goal of improving municipal services, enhancing quality of life, elevating the urban landscape, and achieving financial sustainability in Riyadh. Its vision is for the city to become one of the most vibrant and competitive environments globally—attracting investment opportunities, fostering business growth, becoming home to major companies, and offering an ideal destination for living, working, and entertainment, while hosting major global events. Remat Riyadh also aspires to become a trusted partner in developing municipal operations by delivering innovative, smart, digitally-driven projects focused on infrastructure and public facilities, in collaboration with the private sector.

His Highness Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh, announced the launch of the Municipal Compliance Program “Muthul,” an innovative and advanced model for inspection and regulatory operations. The program aims to strengthen the culture of compliance and increase awareness of regulatory laws among targeted institutions and establishments, in addition to improving the quality of services provided and implementing the highest professional standards in inspection and oversight for health and commercial establishments in Riyadh—leveraging the latest digital technologies. His Highness emphasized that the implementation of the program reflects the municipality’s commitment to enhancing the business environment, supporting and empowering the private sector, and reinforcing a strong culture of compliance and regulatory awareness. This is achieved through building effective partnerships and engaging beneficiaries to create a dynamic ecosystem that improves the quality of regulatory operations and services, enhances satisfaction, and contributes to sustainable community development—aligned with municipal transformation initiatives under Saudi Vision 2030. Over the past period, the municipality conducted a pilot phase of an improved regulatory model designed to enhance the compliance of commercial establishments and ensure reliable implementation. The municipality continues its efforts to elevate the efficiency of its regulatory activities in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, particularly through municipal transformation initiatives that aim to strengthen oversight, promote transparency, and support commercial integrity.

Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh, announced the launch of the Municipal Compliance Program “Muthul,” a new and innovative model for conducting inspection and regulatory operations. The program aims to strengthen the culture of compliance and increase awareness of regulatory laws among targeted institutions and establishments. It also seeks to improve the quality of services provided and implement the highest professional standards in inspection and oversight for health and commercial establishments in Riyadh, relying on the latest digital technologies. The Mayor emphasized that the program reflects the municipality’s commitment to enhancing the business environment, supporting and empowering the private sector, and reinforcing a culture of compliance and regulatory awareness. This is achieved through building effective partnerships and involving beneficiaries to create a dynamic environment that improves the quality of regulatory processes and services, enhances beneficiary satisfaction, and contributes to sustainable community development—aligned with municipal transformation initiatives under Saudi Vision 2030. Over the past period, the municipality piloted an improved regulatory model designed to enhance the compliance of commercial establishments and ensure its effective implementation. The municipality continues to work toward elevating the efficiency of its regulatory activities in line with Saudi Vision 2030, particularly through the “Municipal Transformation” initiatives, which aim to strengthen oversight, promote transparency, and support commercial integrity.

The Municipal Compliance Program “Muthul,” under Remat Riyadh for Development—the development arm of Riyadh Municipality and the strategic enabler for private-sector partnership—launched today its first awareness campaign titled “Fahim wa Salim”, which focuses on promoting understanding and safety concepts between establishments and consumers. The “Muthul” program aims to enhance awareness among business owners while ensuring consumer protection and the application of the highest health and safety standards. This comes as part of its strategic role in strengthening partnerships with the private sector to elevate the quality of municipal services and contribute to improving the quality of life in the city of Riyadh. The program encourages establishments to achieve the required level of understanding by complying with municipal and health regulations and requirements to ensure safety. This includes the safety of establishments from major and minor violations, as well as the safety of all parties involved—consumers, workers, and business owners. It also emphasizes the importance of establishing an effective relationship based on understanding and safety between the establishment and the consumer. It is worth noting that Remat Riyadh for Development, since the end of 2021, has served as a strategic enabler of private-sector partnerships with the goal of enhancing municipal services, supporting quality of life, improving the urban landscape, and achieving financial sustainability in Riyadh. Its vision is for Riyadh to become one of the most vibrant and competitive environments globally—attracting investment opportunities, fostering business growth, hosting major international events, and serving as an ideal destination for living, working, and entertainment. Remat Riyadh also aspires to become a trusted partner in developing municipal operations through innovative, smart, digitally-driven projects focused on public infrastructure and facilities, in collaboration with the private sector.

Riyadh Municipality has implemented a new, pioneering model for inspection and regulatory operations aimed at strengthening the culture of compliance and increasing awareness of regulatory laws among targeted institutions and establishments. The new model is designed to incentivize the business sector and ensure the continuity of establishments in the market by reducing financial burdens on business owners. In 2018, the Riyadh Municipality launched the “Ejada” initiative, aligned with municipal transformation initiatives under the Saudi Vision 2030 program, to elevate the regulatory standards of municipal services. However, the approach of this initiative relied heavily on issuing fines as a means of generating revenue, which created financial pressure on business owners—particularly small and medium enterprises. Last year, Riyadh Mayor Prince Dr. Faisal bin Ayyaf acknowledged this old approach, clarifying that the previous system depended on issuing fines to reward inspectors and increase the revenue of the contracted operating company. He explained at the time that work was underway to develop a new model focused on improving compliance rates by incentivizing the operating company to adopt practices that raise both inspector performance and company returns. On Sunday, Prince Dr. Faisal bin Ayyaf announced the launch of the new municipal compliance program “Muthul”, which aims to enhance service quality and apply best professional standards in inspection and regulatory operations for health and commercial establishments in Riyadh, leveraging advanced digital technologies. Sustainable Development The Mayor emphasized that the program reflects the municipality’s commitment to enhancing the business environment, supporting and empowering the private sector, instilling a culture of compliance, and raising awareness of regulations. This is achieved through building effective partnerships and engaging beneficiaries to create a dynamic environment that elevates the quality of regulatory operations and services, increases satisfaction, and contributes to sustainable community development—aligned with municipal transformation initiatives under Vision 2030. Experts believe the new model will reduce financial burdens on owners of health and commercial establishments, while simultaneously motivating the private sector to increase compliance with municipal regulations. Economist Ahmed Al-Jubair told Asharq Al-Awsat that previous regulatory practices lacked warnings and awareness efforts to help prevent violations and raise compliance levels. Instead, the old system focused on monitoring infractions and imposing fines—even on small and medium enterprises. He noted that the new model announced by the Riyadh Municipality encourages establishments to cooperate with inspectors, comply with regulatory procedures, and support sustainable development within the private sector. According to Al-Jubair, the updated approach will reduce financial pressures on businesses, helping them remain active in the market rather than being pushed out due to excessive fines. Enhancing Oversight For his part, economic policy specialist Ahmed Al-Shehri told Asharq Al-Awsat that the previous “Ejada” model required development to align with the regulator’s intended objectives for oversight operations. He added that the new program enhances regulatory processes, improves service quality, increases establishment awareness, and raises compliance levels through the use of advanced technologies—all in line with municipal transformation initiatives under Vision 2030. Al-Shehri emphasized that the new approach empowers the private sector and adopts a supportive oversight style designed to help establishments achieve compliance, noting that the “Muthul” program prioritizes commitment over penalization. Over the past period, the municipality has piloted an improved regulatory model to strengthen the compliance of commercial establishments and ensure its effectiveness. It is now working to further enhance regulatory performance in alignment with Vision 2030, particularly through municipal transformation initiatives aimed at promoting transparency, integrity, and stronger regulatory governance.

His Highness Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of the Riyadh Region, announced the launch of the Municipal Compliance Program “Muthol,” a new and distinctive model for implementing inspection and regulatory operations. The program aims to promote a culture of compliance, increase awareness of regulatory systems and laws among targeted institutions and establishments, enhance the quality of services provided, and apply the highest professional standards in inspection and oversight of health and commercial establishments in the city of Riyadh, relying on advanced digital technologies. His Highness emphasized that the implementation of the program reflects the Municipality’s commitment to strengthening the business environment, supporting and empowering the private sector, and reinforcing a culture of compliance and awareness of regulations and laws. This will be achieved through effective partnerships and engaging beneficiaries to build a dynamic environment that improves the quality of oversight operations and services provided, increases beneficiary satisfaction, and contributes to sustainable community development — in line with the municipal transformation initiatives stemming from Saudi Vision 2030. During the past period, the Municipality tested an enhanced regulatory model to improve compliance among commercial establishments, ensuring its reliability before full implementation. The Municipality continues to work on raising the efficiency of its regulatory operations, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, particularly through the “Municipal Transformation” initiatives, which aim to enhance oversight, transparency, and support commercial integrity. // End //