What is Nafath?
Nafath is Saudi Arabia's national single sign-on (SSO) and digital identity verification service. Instead of maintaining separate usernames and passwords for each government portal, users authenticate through Nafath to access a wide range of government and private-sector platforms with a single verified identity. The service is operated under the digital government authority framework and is designed to provide a secure, consistent authentication layer across the Kingdom's digital services.
What Nafath handles
Nafath serves as the authentication backbone for a large and growing number of Saudi digital platforms:
- Single sign-on: instead of managing multiple login credentials, residents use their national ID or Iqama number to request access, and Nafath authenticates them for the target platform.
- Identity verification for sensitive transactions: when a platform needs to confirm you are who you claim to be before a legally significant action (such as signing a contract on Qiwa, issuing a power of attorney on Najiz, or approving a document), Nafath provides the verification step.
- Platform access: Nafath is the login method for key platforms including Absher, Qiwa, Najiz, Tawakkalna, the GOSI portal, and many others. Without an active Nafath account, access to these platforms is typically blocked.
- OTP and in-app approval: authentication is typically completed by approving a request in the Nafath mobile app or entering a one-time code sent to your registered mobile number.
How to register and use Nafath
- Download the Nafath app from the official app store (iOS or Android).
- Enter your national ID number (for Saudi nationals) or Iqama number (for expatriates) and your date of birth.
- An OTP is sent to the mobile number registered with the Ministry of Interior. If your registered number is outdated, you must update it at a relevant government office before completing registration.
- Complete the biometric or identity verification step prompted in the app (this may include a selfie or liveness check).
- Once registered, when you log in to a government platform that uses Nafath, an approval request appears in the Nafath app. Open the app and approve the request to authenticate.
If an OTP or approval request does not arrive, verify that notifications are enabled for the Nafath app and that your registered mobile number is current. Reinstalling the app resolves some issues; persistent problems may require contacting Nafath support or visiting a government service center.
What expats need to know about Nafath
For expatriate residents, Nafath is effectively required to access the digital services that govern their daily life in Saudi Arabia, including Iqama checks on Absher, contract approval on Qiwa, and legal services on Najiz. An Iqama number and a mobile number registered with the Ministry of Interior are the two prerequisites for getting started.
A very common problem for expatriates is that their registered mobile number was tied to a SIM they no longer hold, for example after switching to a local number or returning a company-provided SIM. Resolving a wrong number requires updating the record at a Ministry of Interior service point before Nafath can be used. Because most platform transactions require Nafath approval, addressing this quickly when it occurs avoids being locked out of critical services at a critical moment.