The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing’s innovative duo triumphs at Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2023

Balady and Sakani secure wins in Online Services - Government and Property Technology - Government categories, revolutionising citizen engagement and housing solutions.

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing launched two innovative projects, Balady and Sakani, which have not only reshaped the landscape of government services and property technology but have also garnered widespread acclaim for their transformative impact on citizens and communities. 

For this, it has secured both the Online Services - Government and Property Technology - Government categories at the esteemed Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2023.

Balady, the revolutionary digital city platform, has taken the concept of citizen engagement and governmental processes to unprecedented heights. Developed by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Balady aims to streamline governmental procedures whilst empowering citizens with efficient and effective digital services.

Presently providing access to over 200 digital services related to municipal affairs, city infrastructure, and urban enhancement, Balady has fundamentally changed the way citizens interact with the government. By enabling stakeholders to contribute to digital service innovation, empowering communities to voice their opinions and concerns, and facilitating partnership opportunities between the public and private sectors, Balady has laid the groundwork for smarter cities and an enhanced quality of life.

With a user base exceeding 3 million and more than 80 million logged operations, Balady has demonstrated its profound impact on citizens' lives. Over 1 million community contributions have been made to identify city issues, with an impressive 98% of them successfully resolved. This transformative platform has not only elevated satisfaction with municipal services to 95% but has also significantly streamlined bureaucratic processes and fostered business growth.



The Sakani Platform, a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative, has set a new standard in property technology within the governmental sector. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Sakani has empowered Saudi families to realise their dream of owning their first homes through its comprehensive housing support programme.

Since its inception in 2017, Sakani has effectively facilitated housing-related services, offering diverse housing and financial solutions to Saudi families. The programme's digital approach has streamlined the application process, enabling beneficiaries to receive instant approvals via the Sakani app or website. Through collaborations encompassing financial institutions, real estate entities, construction firms, and other governmental bodies, Sakani has established a collaborative ecosystem to bolster Saudi citizens on their journey to homeownership.

Having aided over 500,000 Saudi families in achieving their homeownership dreams and serving more than 3 million families in assessing eligibility, Sakani remains steadfast in its commitment to realising Vision 2030's objective of increasing Saudi household ownership to 70% by 2030.

The Middle East Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in pursuit of technological innovation, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].