Saudi Arabia refers 21 firms, 3 influencers to authorities for violating non-profit sector rules

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s National Centre for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector has referred 21 commercial entities and three social media influencers to the relevant authorities for violating legal regulations governing the country’s non-profit sector.

The crackdown targets commercial misuse, donation irregularities, and unlicensed activities as the Kingdom moves to tighten oversight of charitable operations.

 The enforcement action is part of an expanding effort to regulate and professionalise Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing non-profit space, a key component of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy.

Apart from the referrals, the centre issued formal warnings to four civil society organisations, suspended six staff members for violations, and dissolved the board of directors of one civil society group found to have collected donations outside the official national donation platform.

The centre, which operates under a mandate to licence, supervise and coordinate the non-profit sector, is tasked with ensuring compliance with financial, legal, and governance standards.

It has the authority to suspend or dissolve organisations that fail to operate within their approved bylaws or national regulations. It is committed to strengthening the integrity and effectiveness of the non-profit ecosystem by ensuring all entities operate in line with national laws and contribute to sustainable social impact.

The names of the entities or individuals involved have not been disclosed, however, the cases have been handed over to the judicial bodies for further investigation.

The crackdown underscores the Kingdom’s tightening scrutiny of charitable and philanthropic activity, particularly around fundraising practices, which are now required to be conducted through centralised, government-approved platforms.