Royal Order Extends Program Until End of 2026
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has directed the extension of the Citizen Account Program until the end of 2026, reaffirming the leadership’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of Saudi families and its dedication to ensuring that the benefits of economic reform translate into tangible support for citizens across the Kingdom. The royal directive underscores the government’s people-first philosophy as it navigates the ambitious economic transformation outlined in Vision 2030.
This extension builds upon the substantial successes achieved by the program since its launch, during which millions of Saudi families have received direct financial support designed to offset the impact of economic reforms. The program’s continued operation reflects a deliberate approach: that structural economic change must be accompanied by robust social protection mechanisms that safeguard the purchasing power and living standards of ordinary citizens.
Program Objectives and How It Works
The Citizen Account Program was established to protect Saudi families from the direct and indirect financial impacts of a range of economic reforms, including adjustments to subsidy structures and changes in the cost of certain goods and services. Unlike traditional broad-based subsidy systems, the program operates through a targeted cash transfer model, direct deposits into the registered bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries, ensuring that financial support reaches those who need it most in the most efficient manner possible.
Eligibility is determined through a means-tested framework that evaluates household income, family size, and other relevant socioeconomic indicators. This targeting mechanism allows the government to concentrate resources where they will have the greatest impact while encouraging more rational consumption patterns across the economy. The digital delivery infrastructure underpinning the program also ensures transparency and minimises the risk of leakage to ineligible recipients.
The extension announced under the royal directive also includes enhancements to the additional support provided to beneficiaries, reflecting the government’s attentiveness to changing household needs and its commitment to ensuring that the program remains genuinely responsive to citizens’ circumstances rather than a static administrative framework.
Impact on Saudi Families
Since its inception, the Citizen Account Program has been one of the most far-reaching direct support mechanisms in the Kingdom’s modern history. Tens of millions of disbursements have reached eligible families, contributing to household financial stability during a period of significant macroeconomic transition. Studies conducted on the program’s impact have consistently shown its effectiveness in sustaining consumer purchasing power and cushioning lower and middle-income households against the effects of price reforms.
The program is widely regarded as a model of how governments can implement necessary structural economic reforms, including the rationalisation of energy subsidies and the introduction of value-added tax, without leaving vulnerable populations behind. Saudi Arabia’s experience has attracted interest from policymakers and development organisations across the region as a replicable framework for reform-linked social protection.
Alignment with Vision 2030
The Citizen Account Program sits squarely within the broader ambitions of Vision 2030, which envisions a Saudi Arabia where economic growth is both dynamic and inclusive. As the Kingdom diversifies its economy away from oil dependency, expands the role of the private sector, and develops new industries, the program ensures that social cohesion and family welfare remain central priorities throughout the transformation journey.
Responsible authorities confirmed their ongoing commitment to continuously improving the program’s mechanisms, leveraging data and technology to optimise eligibility determinations, enhance the disbursement process, and ensure that every riyal of allocated support reaches deserving families with maximum efficiency and minimum bureaucratic friction.
