Local News

Kingdom Ranks First Regionally in Digital Government Services

Publication Date: July 23, 2026 12:52 KSA

The Kingdom maintained its regional 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), retaining first place for the fourth consecutive time with a very high maturity rate of 99% in the overall index assessment—an achievement that reflects the sustained maturity of digital government in the Kingdom and its continuous progress at the regional level.

His Excellency the Governor of the Digital Government Authority, Engineer Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Suwayan, affirmed 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 in a sustainable manner. He pointed out that this achievement translates the scale of efforts exerted 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 targets of Saudi Vision 2030. The Kingdom topped the index, which measured 17 countries and was based on an assessment of the maturity of 100 priority government services provided to individuals and businesses through digital platforms and smart applications, according to three sub-indices. It achieved 100% in the 'Service Availability and Development' index, 99% in the 'Service Usage and User Satisfaction' index, and 100% in the 'Reach to the Public' index. This progress reflects the continuous development of digital government services in vital sectors. In the civil services sector, digital platforms have enhanced the ease of issuing official documents, such as renewing passports and national IDs, registering births, and others. Meanwhile, judicial services have enabled beneficiaries to complete many procedures electronically with ease. In the health sector, digital services have facilitated remote health appointments and improved access to medical services with higher efficiency. 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, enhanced integration of services among government entities, increased digital inclusivity and accessibility for persons with disabilities, as well as the use of data, emerging technologies, and artificial intelligence to provide more efficient, proactive, and reliable services for citizens, residents, and visitors, while strengthening access security and digital channels to ensure safe and easily accessible government services for beneficiaries. This achievement extends a series of advanced results that Saudi Arabia has achieved in international indices, the latest being second place globally in the Digital Government Maturity Index for 2025 issued by the World Bank Group, which assessed 197 countries. Additionally, Riyadh was selected as the headquarters for the Global Center for Digital Government in partnership with the United Nations to enable research and innovation capabilities and enhance international cooperation, reflecting the Kingdom's advanced standing in digital government and government service development, in fulfillment of sustainable development goals.