The Kingdom renewed its leadership in the Middle East and North Africa in the E-Government and Mobile Government Services Maturity Index for 2025, issued by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), maintaining the first place for the fourth consecutive time, with a very high maturity rate of 99% in the overall index assessment, an achievement reflecting the sustainability of digital government maturity in the Kingdom and its continuous progress at the regional level.

The Governor of the Digital Government Authority, Eng. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Suwayan, confirmed that the Kingdom’s top ranking in the overall index reflects the support of the wise leadership—may God support them—for the digital government system in developing an integrated government model that places the beneficiary at the center of attention, enhances the competitiveness of the national economy, and raises the efficiency of government performance following a sustainable approach. He noted that this achievement translates the efforts made by government entities in developing procedures and platforms and adopting emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, making the Kingdom a global model to be emulated in business efficiency and digital economy competitiveness, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The Kingdom topped the index, which covered 17 countries and was based on the maturity assessment of 100 priority government services provided to individuals and businesses through digital platforms and smart applications, according to three sub-indicators. It scored 100% in the "Service Availability and Development" indicator, 99% in the "Service Usage and User Satisfaction" indicator, and 100% in the "Public Reach" indicator.

This progress reflects the continuous development witnessed by digital government services in vital sectors. In the civil services sector, digital platforms have facilitated the issuance of official documents, such as passport renewal, national ID, birth registration, and others. Meanwhile, judicial services have enabled beneficiaries to complete many procedures electronically with ease. In the health sector, digital services have contributed to completing remote health appointments and facilitating access to medical services more efficiently. Digital solutions in the customs clearance sector have accelerated procedures and increased transaction efficiency.

This is attributed to the development of an advanced government digital infrastructure, enhancing service integration among government entities, raising the level of digital inclusion and accessibility for persons with disabilities, along with employing data, emerging technologies, and artificial intelligence to provide more efficient, proactive, and reliable services to citizens, residents, and visitors, while enhancing access security and digital channels to ensure secure and easily accessible government services for beneficiaries.

This achievement extends a series of advanced results that Saudi Arabia has achieved in international indicators, most recently ranking second globally in the 2025 Government Digital Maturity Index issued by the World Bank Group, within an assessment covering 197 countries, in addition to the selection of Riyadh as the headquarters of the Global Center for Digital Government in partnership with the United Nations, to enable capabilities in research and innovation and enhance international cooperation, reflecting the Kingdom's advanced position in digital government and government service development, in achieving sustainable development goals.

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