Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 emphasises the significance of strengthening the information technology sector, acknowledging its potential to stimulate economic growth.
To achieve this goal, the National Transformation Program (NTP) has implemented measures to facilitate sustainable digital transformation, adopt Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, and expand and enhance e-government services to encompass areas such as healthcare, education, and justice.
Furthermore, the NTP has supported digital entrepreneurship, invested in technologies, and prioritised digital education and training to develop a highly skilled domestic workforce capable of driving digital transformation.
The program’s 2022 report indicated that there are over 6,000 digital government services available, which account for 97 percent of all government services.
Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in the global digital landscape, securing the 31st rank in the United Nations e-Government Development Index for 2022 and achieving the top position in the Middle East and North Africa region for digital government services in the Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index (GEMS) for 2021.
Additionally, the country has demonstrated notable improvement in the Japanese Waseda University Index for 2021, climbing 23 positions in the digital government rankings from the previous year.
The NTP’s initiatives have been instrumental in advancing the country’s communication infrastructure, leading to mobile internet speeds of 181.24 Mbps, fixed internet speeds of 109.83 Mbps, 4G wireless broadband coverage exceeding 98 percent, and 5G services being available in 84 governorates throughout the country.
According to the European Center for Digital Competitiveness’ Competitiveness Progress 2021 report, Saudi Arabia ranked second among G20 countries, advancing eight positions in the global ranking of the most competitive countries.
The report highlighted several achievements in the Kingdom’s efforts to build a robust digital sector that attracts investments, including the introduction and development of policies and legislation supporting digital transformation, such as the personal data protection system, the digital government policy, and the communications and information technology system approved in 2022. These measures have reinforced Saudi Arabia’s position as the fastest-growing and largest digital economy in the Middle East and North Africa.
