World News

Saudi Arabia bans sale of tobacco products in kiosks, grocery stores.

The ministry emphasized that tobacco items must adhere to authorized standard criteria, which include keeping them in closed drawers and making them completely invisible to facility visitors. Selling them to anyone younger than 18 or as defined by the Anti-Smoking Law is illegal. The vendor is allowed to request documentation from buyers proving they are at least eighteen years old.

Published

3 months ago

July 15, 2025

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The selling of tobacco products in grocery stores and kiosks throughout the Kingdom has been outlawed by the Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing.

As part of its efforts to improve the business climate and boost food safety standards to safeguard customers, the ministry updated the regulations for supermarkets, hypermarkets, and grocery stores.

All produced and packaged tobacco products licensed by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority are included in these items, per the specifications released by the ministry on Monday.

These consist of shisha and other comparable tobacco products, as well as conventional and electronic cigarettes. Grocery stores, which are authorized to sell packaged food items, personal care items, detergents, disinfectants, and similar products, as well as paper and plastic products, are not allowed to sell them, given that the establishment is at least 24 square meters in size.

Four square meters is the minimum area required for kiosks in shopping malls, ten square meters for kiosks on commercial or mixed-use land, twenty-four square meters for grocery stores, one hundred square meters for supermarkets, and five hundred square meters for hypermarkets.

The changes further clarified licensing procedures, which include Civil Defense approval before issuing of the license and the filing of a valid commercial registration specifying the activity to be licensed. According to the modifications, the location must be inside business buildings or on property that has been set aside for commercial use, and it must be situated on a commercial street in compliance with rules and guidelines.

World News

More Than 3.8 Million Muslims Perform Umrah in First Half of 2025

Published

1 week ago

October 8, 2025

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The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reports that since the season began, there have been over 3.8 million Umrah pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

According to reports, 2.8 million pilgrims from 135 nations travelled overseas on Umrah visas, with the remaining pilgrims being local. In comparison to the same time last year, the ministry reported a 6% increase.

In comparison to the previous season, officials also noted a 33% increase in total pilgrim arrivals, with pilgrims praying in Madinah and Makkah. To guarantee that every pilgrim receives top-notch services, monitoring teams have been assigned.

Local News

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh Passes Away at 82

Published

4 weeks ago

September 23, 2025

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The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh passed away at 82. He was a prominent scholar and head of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Muslim World League’s Supreme Council. Leading key religious and fatwa institutions,

His funeral will be held in Riyadh, with absentee prayers across the Kingdom’s major mosques by order of King Salman.

The Royal Court called his death a significant loss to both Saudi Arabia and the Islamic world.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh was respected globally as a leading Salafi religious authority who dedicated his life to guiding the Muslim Ummah.

Local News

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah sets the 1st of Shawwal strictly as the deadline for 2026 Hajj visa issuance.

Published

2 months ago

August 25, 2025

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NAHCON, Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Hold Virtual Meeting on 2026 Hajj Preparations

Abdulbasit Abba

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) today 25th August 2025 participated in a virtual meeting with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to deliberate on preparations for the 2026 Hajj exercise.

The session was chaired by Dr. Rania Adham of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. In the course of the meeting, the Saudi authorities reiterated the important deadlines that remain sacrosanct which include Signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November; 4th January is the last day to finalize camp booking payments and confirmation of service contracts packages. 1st February has been set as deadline for uploading of transport and accommodation contracts on Nusuk Masar Portal while 1st of Shawwal remains strictly the deadline for visa issuance.

Representatives of the Ministry stressed that this deadlines will not shift.

Members from the Hajj and Umar Ministry lamented several incidents involving late preparations from our local end, noting that delays could have negative consequences on the welfare and overall experience of pilgrims.

The Saudi Ministry also appealed to NAHCON to remind Nigerian intending pilgrims of the consequences of visa violation, declaring that anyone caught performing Hajj without Hajj visa will face a penalty of 20,000 Saudi Riyals (N8,158,344) and imprisonment.

In addition, it was emphasized that all Hadaya (sacrificial rites) payments and accommodation bookings must be carried out exclusively through the Nusuk Masar platform.

NAHCON had since reassured the host country of its commitment to cooperation on any arrangement that will ensure welfare and interest of Nigerian pilgrims. The NAHCON Chairman disclosed that Nigeria’s Hajj Commission Will work closely with relevant partners to ensure compliance with all deadlines and requirements, thereby guaranteeing a smooth, well-coordinated, and successful 2026 Hajj operation.