01 | Saudi Arabia’s Grace Period for Full Saudization of Administrative Support Professions Ends October 4

As of September 16, 2026, the six-month grace period for the full Saudization of administrative support professions in Saudi Arabia was entering its final stage. Businesses with employees in the affected roles should verify job classifications, employee status and workforce arrangements before October 4 rather than treating the grace period as a general postponement of the rules.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development updated the requirements in April 2026. Effective April 5, 69 administrative support professions under the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations became subject to a 100% Saudization rate. A select group of professions received a six-month implementation grace period ending October 4, 2026. The requirement applies to private establishments with one or more employees in covered professions.

For employers, checking job titles alone is not enough. They should confirm whether the actual roles fall within the covered professions and consult the ministry’s procedural guide for implementation and compliance requirements. Leaving workforce changes until close to the deadline may reduce the time available for recruitment, employment contract amendments and internal approvals.

Source: B A L, 2026-09-16

02 | Qatar Introduces a Low-Cost E-Commerce Licence Covering 194 Business Activities

Qatar is lowering the entry threshold for online businesses. The significance of the new licence extends beyond its relatively low fee: the application, issuance and operating process can be completed online, making it particularly relevant to businesses preparing to test the Qatari market through digital channels.

Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched the e-Commerce Licence under Ministerial Decision No. 25 of 2026. It covers 194 approved business activities and carries an issuance fee of QR500. Applications can be submitted electronically, and the licence applies to the website designated for conducting the relevant activity in Qatar.

Before applying, businesses should still confirm that their proposed activities are included in the approved list and distinguish the website operating licence from any separate company formation, sector approval and ongoing compliance requirements. The licence fee alone does not represent the total cost of market entry.

Source: Gulf Times, 2026-09-16

03 | Saudi Arabia Caps Overseas Investments by Money Market Funds at 5%

Saudi public money market funds will have substantially less room for overseas allocation. Fund managers face more than a single rebalancing requirement: the remediation timeline varies according to the fund’s existing level of overseas exposure, while foreign counterparties must also meet credit-rating requirements.

Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority requires investments and assets held outside Saudi Arabia by a public money market fund to remain within 5% of the fund’s net asset value. All overseas investments must also involve counterparties with an investment-grade rating issued by a licensed credit rating agency.

If existing overseas investments exceed 5%, the fund manager must achieve compliance within two years from the date of the circular and refrain from making, entering into or renewing transactions that would breach the limit. If overseas investments exceed 20% of net asset value, they must first be reduced below 20% within six months before the fund proceeds towards the 5% limit. Existing overseas investments that do not meet the counterparty rating requirement must also be brought into compliance within two years.

Source: argaam.com, 2026-09-15

05 | Egypt Requires One-Time Password Verification for Consumer and MSME Finance Within Two Months

Egyptian non-bank finance providers have two months to adjust identity-verification processes at the contracting and fund-use stages. The requirement will create short-term system implementation and recordkeeping work, but its central purpose is to strengthen customer verification, audit trails and fraud controls.

Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority requires licensed consumer finance and micro, small and medium-sized enterprise finance providers to implement one-time password verification when contracts are signed and funds are used, and to retain OTP verification records. Providers must also check customer details against national identification and mobile number ownership records.

The two-month implementation deadline means providers should promptly review whether OTP delivery, customer authorization, record retention and exception handling form a complete process. They should also assess how the changes may affect customer onboarding and disbursement times.

Source: TradingView, 2026-09-15

06 | Türkiye Orders the Liquidation of Selected Funds Managed by Seven Portfolio Companies

Türkiye’s regulatory action covers both a suspension of transactions and the liquidation of selected funds. Investors should distinguish between funds closed to purchases and redemptions and those ordered into liquidation; not every fund managed by the seven companies has been ordered liquidated.

Türkiye’s Capital Markets Board announced that all investment funds established by seven portfolio management companies and traded on the Turkish Electronic Fund Trading Platform would be closed to purchases and redemptions. It also ordered the liquidation of designated funds, using a method to be determined by the regulator. The funds identified for liquidation include free funds and money market funds.

The seven companies are Tera, Pusula, Hedef, Atlas, A1 Capital, Pardus and Bulls. The report identified 130 funds for liquidation: 5 managed by Tera, 12 by Pusula, 31 by Hedef, 16 by Atlas, 9 by A1 Capital, 15 by Bulls and 42 by Pardus.

Source: Anadolu, 2026-09-17

Other updates

  • 10 | Türkiye Targets Investment Red Tape in Reform Plans: Türkiye’s 2027–2029 Medium-Term Program proposes an Investment Coordination and Conciliation Board and a one-stop office, simpler rules from company formation through liquidation, and integrated digital systems to shorten public-service processing times and reduce costs. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News, 2026-09-15)
  • 13 | Oman Raises Its Repo Rate to 4.5%: The Central Bank of Oman raised its repo rate by 25 basis points to 4.5%, effective September 17, 2026, its first increase since July 2023. (Source: Oman Observer, 2026-09-17)
  • 14 | UAE Central Bank Raises Its Base Rate to 3.9%: The Central Bank of the UAE raised the Base Rate applicable to its Overnight Deposit Facility by 25 basis points, from 3.65% to 3.9%, effective September 17, 2026. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-09-16)
  • 15 | Türkiye Plans $28 Billion Investment in Its Power Grid: Türkiye plans to invest $28 billion in electricity transmission infrastructure by 2035 to meet rising demand and connect new generation capacity, alongside a combined wind and solar capacity target of 120 gigawatts. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News, 2026-09-17)
  • 17 | Türkiye Eases Capital Rules for Bank Share Buybacks: Türkiye’s Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency decided that shares repurchased by listed banks on Borsa Istanbul after September 16, 2026, will not be deducted from core capital through year-end and will also be excluded from credit and market risk calculations used for capital adequacy during the same period. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News, 2026-09-17)
  • 20 | Egypt Plans to Add 330 Million Cubic Feet per Day to Natural Gas Production: Egypt plans to add 330 million cubic feet per day from Mediterranean and Western Desert fields by the end of 2026, including around 250 million from the Zohr and West Mina fields and 80 million from the Meleiha fields. (Source: Daily News Egypt, 2026-09-16)
  • 21 | Bahrain Central Bank Raises a Key Interest Rate: The Central Bank of Bahrain raised its one-week deposit facility rate by 25 basis points to 4.75% in September 2026. (Source: TradingView, 2026-09-16)
  • 22 | Qatar and Saudi Arabia Enable Cross-Border Acceptance of Domestic Payment Cards: Qatar’s Himyan cards and Saudi Arabia’s mada cards are now mutually accepted in both countries, giving cardholders and merchants another cross-border payment option. (Source: Fana News, 2026-09-15)
  • 23 | UAE Launches Its Second Five-Year Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Issuance: The UAE Ministry of Finance launched the second issuance under the Sovereign Retail T-Sukuk Programme with a five-year tenor, open to UAE nationals and residents with a minimum subscription of AED 1,000. (Source: UAE Ministry of Finance, 2026-09-17)
  • 26 | ADQ Set to Increase Its Stake in AD Ports Group Above 98.5%: ADQ secured acceptances representing more than 23.08% of AD Ports Group’s issued share capital under its cash takeover offer; combined with its existing 75.42% holding, its stake is expected to exceed 98.5% after settlement, which is due no later than October 9, 2026. (Source: Splash247, 2026-09-16)
  • 27 | EBRD and EU Expand Trade Finance Support in Iraq: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development extended a $25 million trade finance facility to Bank of Baghdad to increase import and export transactions, expand its correspondent banking network and improve access to finance for MSMEs engaged in cross-border trade; the EU will separately fund the development of a dedicated training curriculum. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-09-16)
  • 28 | Neom Plans an Oxagon Freight Rail Connection to Saudi Arabia’s National Network: Neom issued an expression of interest for the design of a freight railway linking the Port of Neom at Oxagon with the national rail network, covering feasibility studies, concept design and route alignment. (Source: MEED, 2026-09-15)
  • 29 | Qatar’s Summer Outdoor Work Ban Ends as Safety Requirements Continue: Qatar’s restrictions on work in exposed outdoor locations ended on September 15, 2026, but the Ministry of Labour reminded employers and workers to continue observing occupational safety and health requirements and maintaining heat-risk prevention measures. (Source: The Peninsula, 2026-09-16)
  • 30 | Türkiye Plans Wider Support for Online Exporters: Türkiye plans to expand online export support from 26 to 35 countries, covering marketplace promotion, order fulfilment and sales commissions; in 2026, 134 companies have received a combined TRY 638 million in support. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News, 2026-09-16)

Last updated: September 2026. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice.