Vision in action: The transformation of governmental oversight in KSA

The financial monitoring landscape within Saudi Arabia’s governmental sector is undergoing a radical transformation driven by the ambitious goals of Vision 2030. The framework has evolved from traditional, compliance-based auditing to a much more sophisticated, integrated data-driven system focused on performance, efficiency, and accountability. This shift is being orchestrated by powerful central governmental entities that are leveraging technological tools to ensure governmental funding is being managed effectively to achieve national strategic objectives. The need for robust oversight is underscored by projected expenditures of approximately SAR1.28 trillion (over US$342 billion) in 2025, with the target to reach SAR1.43 trillion (over US$381 billion) in 2027.*

Governmental financial oversight architecture

The cornerstone of this transformation is the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which mandates financial sustainability, transparency, and effectiveness in governmental spending, considering the growing number of governmental entities (currently over 970). 

Traditional methods for inspection, often reactive and focused solely on tracking expenditure against budgets, are no longer considered sufficient or practical . The new paradigm demands oversight that answers more complex questions: “Are public funds achieving their intended strategic outcomes and delivering value for money?”

To answer this, the government requires visibility and assurance over financial management, performance, and risk across all government entities. To achieve this, it has devised a multilayered ecosystem of authorities to enforce new standards through several key institutions: the General Auditing Bureau (GAB), the National Center for Performance Measurement (ADAA), and more recently, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and MoF+ entities such as the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA).  

The MoF acts as the macro-fiscal manager through its Financial Reporting Center and the Governmental Expenditure & Projects Efficiency Authority (EXPRO). It sets financial regulations, oversees budget preparation and execution, and drives efficiency across all ministries and authorities.  Utilizing the Etimad platform, the MoF oversees governmental procurement activities,  and in return, guarantees transparency and control efficiency in public spending with a budgeted expenditure of SAR1.345 trillion in 2024.*

Modern inspection techniques

Capitalizing on numerous data sources, the Ministry of Finance is currently utilizing data-driven technologies to drive auditing for inspection.

These systems provide real-time data feeds, taking continuous monitoring and analytics to a new level enabling inspectors to identify anomalies, trends, and risks proactively rather than reactively, overstepping the era and legacy of sample-based audits. 

Moreover, new integrated governmental systems are being tested, such as the Unified Governmental Resource Planning (UGRP) system, to breakdown any silos between any oversight authorities such as GAB, ZATCA, ADAA, and other bodies. This allows for cross-referencing of data to prevent fraud and ensure the highest level of compliance across the government, creating a comprehensive picture of any entity’s financial health and effectiveness. 

Now, inspectors and inspection activities/plans are becoming increasingly targeted to oversee entities or programs identified as higher risk due to factors such as budget size, high invoice volume, historical audit findings, and the sensitivity of their projects and contracts. This allows for a Risk-Based Supervision approach, especially with the increasing number of financial transactions processed annually.  

This new financial oversight framework will enforce accountability, as the integrated, data-centric approach enables identification of financial and performance discrepancies, highlights the need to enhance the overall internal control ecosystems and culture, and demonstrates that public spending is achieving its intended goals efficiently. 

A  new national financial governance

Finally, the KSA government’s financial monitoring framework is rapidly becoming a benchmark for modern public sector oversight, reflecting years of building a strategic and cohesive system that leverages on centralization, technology, and performance-focused data to ensure effective management of public expenditures. This is definitely a step forward in achieving the Kingdom’s vision for 2030. 

The message for all governmental entities is clear and focused on achieving operational efficiency, transparency, and demonstrable results which are now considered the new non-negotiable standards for public financial management. The decreasing budget deficit— from SAR115 billion in 2024 to SAR101 billion in 2025*—highlights the government’s commitment to empowering institutions to deliver maximum value to the KSA citizens and residents. 

By Ahmed Y. Abdelhadi, Director, Enterprise Risk, Deloitte Middle East 

Endnote

*MoFbudget statement FY2025.
https://www.mof.gov.sa/en/budget/2025/Documents/Bud-E%202025-251124-V8-Fin.pdf