The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority is the body responsible for combating financial and administrative corruption in all its forms across Saudi Arabia. It was created by Royal Decree on March 18, 2011, originally under the name National Anti-Corruption Authority.
On December 12, 2019, a Royal Decree merged the Control and Investigation Board and the Administrative Investigations departments into it, producing the single entity in place today. It is headquartered in Riyadh with twenty-five branches across the Kingdom’s thirteen provinces and it is headed by a minister supported by two deputies at the excellent rank, all appointed by Royal Decree.
Competencies of the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority
The authority investigates financial and administrative corruption in public works contracts, operation and maintenance contracts, and contracts touching public affairs and citizens’ interests within the entities under its remit. It takes legal measures against any contract involving corruption or concluded and implemented in violation of applicable laws.
Where violations are uncovered, it refers them to regulatory or investigative bodies depending on the case. It may review the course of an investigation, follow the progress of procedures, and ask the entities concerned to apply preventive or provisional measures as the law allows.
If violations affect the institutional standing of an entity within its scope, the authority reports the matter to the King, who decides the appropriate action. Cases that reach litigation may pass through the wider justice system, including the Ministry of Justice and the Board of Grievances.
Recovery and prevention
Its competencies extend to following up with competent bodies on recovering funds and proceeds from corruption crimes. It also reviews working methods and procedures inside covered entities to find and fix weaknesses that allow corruption to occur, proposes regulations and policies to prevent it, and periodically reviews relevant laws to assess whether they remain adequate.
Rules of professional conduct
Employees are bound to impartiality and fairness and must avoid any act or statement that could suggest preferential treatment of an entity or individual, directly or indirectly. They do not accept favors, gifts, donations or similar offerings from any person or entity subject to the authority’s competencies.
Confidentiality continues after employment ends. Staff also may not take part in media programs or write in newspapers, websites, or social networks about matters within the authority’s competencies, or on its behalf, without approval from its president or an authorized representative.
Filing a report electronically
Reports can be submitted online covering corruption crimes, financial or administrative violations, or failures to deliver public services to citizens. Two conditions apply: the reported entity must be part of the public sector, or the state must own at least 25 percent of its capital.
The report must contain specific facts that can be searched and traced, and any available evidence should be submitted to support it. Other reporting channels operate in parallel, including the guidance in our article on reporting a crime in Saudi Arabia, the cybercrime reporting rewards scheme, and the Sahem platform. Court procedures themselves have moved online through the digital courtroom service, and penalties for serious breaches can be substantial, as our report on the SR1 million fine warning shows.
Key takeaways
- Established by Royal Decree on March 18, 2011, and restructured in December 2019.
- Headquartered in Riyadh with 25 branches in 13 provinces.
- Reports are accepted only against public sector entities or firms at least 25 percent state-owned.
- Serious institutional violations are reported directly to the King.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority do?
It investigates and combats financial and administrative corruption, refers violations to competent bodies, and works on prevention and fund recovery.
When was it established?
By Royal Decree on March 18, 2011, as the National Anti-Corruption Authority, renamed after the December 2019 merger.
Who can be reported to the authority?
Public sector entities, or companies in which the state owns at least 25 percent of the capital.
Can reports be filed online?
Yes. Electronic reports are accepted, provided they include specific traceable facts and any supporting evidence.
The bottom line
The authority combines investigation, prevention, and asset recovery in one body, and it accepts reports directly from the public. Reporting channels are published by the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority.
