FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – For years, Jordan has spoken the language of digital transformation.
Now, at last, the country is beginning to live it. The latest evidence is hard to ignore: a ten‑place jump in the World Bank’s Government Technology Maturity Index, pushing Jordan to 21st globally and fourth in the Arab world.
That kind of movement doesn’t happen by accident. It signals a country that has stopped admiring the idea of modernization and started executing it.
What’s striking is not just the ranking — it’s the breadth of what’s driving it. Jordan has digitized 80 percent of its government services, with a full 100 percent targeted by the end of 2026. Nearly two million digital IDs have already been activated.
Electronic passports are live. Airport e‑gates are operational. Hospitals now use unified digital platforms for births and deaths. Even public‑health compliance — like smoking regulations — is being monitored through new digital tools.
This is not cosmetic reform. It’s structural.
Jordan’s progress across all four pillars of the global index tells the same story. Core government systems have improved. Public‑service delivery has jumped from 42nd to 26th worldwide.
The enabling environment — the policies, infrastructure and governance that make digital transformation possible — has climbed steadily as well.
These are the kinds of gains that only come from sustained, coordinated effort.
And that effort is visible everywhere. The “Sanad” platform is being upgraded with AI capabilities. A national digital assistant, “Siraj,” is already serving 100,000 users.
New platforms are empowering women entrepreneurs, supporting home‑based businesses and digitizing national competitions.
Eleven integrated service centers have opened, with more on the way — and satisfaction rates are hitting 98 percent.
Even the next generation is being pulled into the transformation. Digital curricula now reach students from grade seven through twelve. Computer‑skills programs are expanding.
Training programs have doubled participation to 8,500 young people. Jordan is not just digitizing government — it’s digitizing opportunity.
Of course, challenges remain. Digital transformation is never a straight line, and no country completes it without friction. But the direction is unmistakable.
Jordan is building the infrastructure, the platforms, the skills and the governance needed for a modern digital state. And it’s doing so with a seriousness that many larger economies still lack.