Saudi Arabia’s Digital Economy: A New Era of Tech Growth, Innovation, and Global Impact Empowered by HRH the Crown Prince

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved remarkable milestones in the fields of digital economy, artificial intelligence, data centers, and digital government as part of the targets set by Saudi Vision 2030, solidifying its position as a regional and global digital powerhouse.
According to the Saudi Vision 2030 Report, the size of Saudi Arabia’s digital economy has reached approximately $495 billion, contributing 15% to the national GDP, clearly reflecting the sector’s accelerated growth. Furthermore, the ICT market continued its momentum, surpassing $180 billion by 2024, driven by the expansion of private sector investments and the growing culture of innovation, thereby consolidating its position as the largest technology market in the region.
In the field of data centers, the Kingdom recorded a 42% increase in capacity during 2023, reaching 290.5 megawatts, strengthening the readiness of its digital infrastructure to accommodate the expanding demand for cloud services and smart applications. Fiber-optic network coverage also expanded to reach over 3.9 million homes, while internet penetration across the Kingdom climbed to nearly 99%, placing Saudi Arabia among the most connected nations globally.
On the front of human capital development, Saudi Arabia has reinforced its standing as the region’s largest digital talent cluster, creating over 381,000 quality jobs in the technology sector. This advancement significantly boosted the participation of women in the technology sector from 7% in 2018 to an impressive 35% today, the highest rate in the Middle East and North Africa, and exceeding the averages of both the G20 and the European Union — reflecting the depth of the Kingdom’s transformation in empowering national capabilities in the digital economy.
As for digital government, Saudi Arabia has made a distinguished global presence, ranking 6th worldwide in the United Nations’ E-Government Development Index, nearing the Vision 2030 target of reaching the 5th place. The Kingdom also ranked 4th globally in the Digital Services Index, 2nd among G20 countries, and 1st regionally.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia ranked 1st globally in digital skills and open digital government, and 7th globally in the E-Participation Index, reflecting notable success in enhancing government service efficiency and promoting transparency.
Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha emphasized that these achievements reflect the unlimited support the technology and digital sectors have received from the wise leadership and are a direct outcome of the empowerment and close supervision of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
He added: “These exceptional advancements could not have been achieved without the support of our wise leadership, the ambitious vision, and the deep belief in the potential of our nation and its people. We confidently move forward to solidify the Kingdom’s position as a digital power in the intelligent age, contributing to shaping the future of current and coming generations.”
These figures and indicators stand as clear evidence of the Vision’s success in creating a real and sustainable impact, strengthening the Kingdom’s economic competitiveness, and positioning Saudi Arabia to lead the digital economy regionally and globally.