COUNTRY FOCUS : KUWAIT
With the appointment of the Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority , to boost adoption of innovative technologies and digital transformation in the government and public sector of Kuwait , the country is now in a catch-up mode , to reach the same levels of technology adoption as the leading GCC countries .
Late starter in digital transformation , now in catch up mode
Kuwait Tower City Skyline
According to Mordor Intelligence , Kuwait ’ s ICT market was valued at USD 22.48 billion in the current year and is expected to register a CAGR of 9.84 %, reaching USD39.83 billion in five years . The government ’ s focus on digital transformation initiatives and increasing demand for innovative technologies across various sectors drive the Kuwait ICT market .
Report 2023 , placed Kuwait 51st out of 166 countries in the Frontier Technologies Readiness Index . Vertical end-user segments demonstrate that the energy sector is the largest by market share , followed by the government . Notably , the financial markets sector is projected to grow the fastest , with an expected CAGR of 10 % from 2022 to 2027 .
According to Oxford Business Group , while Kuwait performs well by global standards , it lags behind some GCC peers in certain ICT-related metrics .
The country ’ s national spending on technological solutions was projected to reach $ 10.1bn in 2024 , according to a December 2022 report , compared to $ 23bn by the UAE . In addition , the UN Conference on Trade and Development ’ s Technology and Innovation
The Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority , CITRA aims to implement international standards for e-government services and make them readily accessible . In June 2023 CITRA took a significant step towards accelerating 5G adoption by announcing a ban on the importation of 2G and 3G cellular devices starting from September 2023 to phase out outdated technologies while safeguarding consumer interests .
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