The street vendors support and empowerment initiative at the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing achieved transformative milestones during 2025 in the management and regulation of the sector. These advances contributed to raising compliance levels and transitioning temporary initiatives into sustainable operating models that enhance the economic and urban value of cities, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
The year saw the development of a comprehensive value chain system for street vendors, encompassing regulatory, oversight, and empowerment dimensions. New regulatory requirements were also adopted, streamlining the beneficiary journey and integrating the activity within official regulatory frameworks to strengthen governance and raise the efficiency of municipal operations.
The Ministry also implemented organized municipal incubator models in several cities as a pilot phase, aimed at providing modern operating environments that support economic sustainability and improve the urban landscape. Additionally, development partnerships were established with government, non-profit, and investment entities to expand the scope of impact and achieve institutional integration that serves the sector in the long term.
In the context of strengthening the institutional approach to the sector, the initiative worked on building a comprehensive national model for developing street vendors based on scientific foundations and in partnership with academic institutions and research centers. This ensures the sustainability of development efforts and their alignment with the needs of cities and communities, transforming the activity into an organized economic opportunity that is scalable across the Kingdom.
These efforts resulted in a comprehensive national impact, including the development of modern databases to support governance, the creation of attractive urban operating sites, the enhancement of vendor income through sustainable operating models, the empowerment of the most vulnerable groups, and the strengthening of multi-sector institutional partnerships.
Her Royal Highness Princess Noujoud bint Hathloul bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, General Supervisor of the street vendors support and empowerment portfolio, affirmed that the achievements of 2025 reflect a strategic shift in the approach to the sector, built on sustainable regulation, economic empowerment, and the delivery of long-term urban and social impact.
Her Royal Highness added that the next phase will focus on expanding successful models, enhancing integration with municipalities and relevant authorities, and developing permanent projects that ensure the sustainability of the developmental impact, contributing to the improvement of quality of life and the achievement of the objectives of the municipalities and housing ecosystem.
These efforts are an extension of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing’s strategy to regulate informal economic activities and transform them into organized and sustainable sectors by developing legislative frameworks, enhancing digital transformation in licensing and registration procedures, and preparing supportive urban environments for small-scale activities. This contributes to raising quality of life, improving the urban landscape, and achieving the objectives of urban development.
