Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has secured the top global ranking in the 2025 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ICT Development Index, which assesses the digital progress of 164 countries across universal and effective connectivity.

The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) confirmed the Kingdom's leading position, crediting it to sustained national efforts in strengthening competitiveness and driving sustainable growth in the ICT sector.

The CST highlighted that Saudi Arabia’s advanced digital infrastructure has been instrumental in enabling the expansion of its digital economy, which reached SR459 billion in 2024, contributing 15% to the gross domestic product (GDP).

The Kingdom’s ICT market, valued at SR180 billion in 2024, is the largest and fastest growing in the Middle East and North Africa.

The country also recorded a mobile subscription penetration rate of 212% and monthly data usage per user three times higher than the global average.