BETH – Riyadh | Sunday, July 6, 2025

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has ranked first globally in the ICT Development Index (IDI) 2025, issued by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The index monitors the digital progress of 164 economies worldwide, based on two key pillars:
Universal Connectivity and Effective Connectivity.

📈 A Leading Digital Transformation

The Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) stated that this achievement reflects the Kingdom’s sustained development journey in the ICT sector, and the continued national efforts to enhance its global competitiveness and digital infrastructure.

🧠 Highlights of the Transformation:

💰 495 billion SAR: Size of the digital economy in 2024

📊 15%: Contribution to the national GDP

📶 212%: Mobile telecom subscriptions relative to population

📡 3x the global average: Monthly per capita data consumption

💼 180 billion SAR: Size of the ICT market in 2024

🌍 The largest and fastest growing ICT market in the MENA region

🧭 A Global Index, A National Vision

The IDI by the ITU serves as a benchmark framework for measuring digital maturity, data transparency, and the robustness of digital infrastructure—empowering data-driven decision-making and placing the Kingdom at the forefront of global digital economies.