Amman, Nov. 21 (Petra)-- Ghada Hammad - Information technology experts said Jordan’s continued progress in the 2025 Global Knowledge Index advancing for the third consecutive year to rank 73rd out of 195 countries demonstrated the success of national economic modernization efforts in supporting a knowledge-based economy.

They told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that Jordan’s consistent improvement on the index signals a solid and growing knowledge foundation that can be further developed.

Jordan climbed again this year to 73rd globally, compared to 88th out of 141 countries in 2024 and 97th out of 133 in 2023.

Basheer Al-Duwairi, a specialist in computer network engineering and security at the American University of Madaba, said the country’s improved standing is a strong indicator of progress in its digital transformation efforts. He noted that Jordan ranked 94th globally in the ICT sub-index, reflecting a moderate level of digital readiness and significant potential for further development.

According to Al-Duwairi, the sub-index analysis covering connectivity, enabling factors, and impact shows clear improvement in digital usage and technical human resources, but also highlights challenges related to infrastructure quality and internet service costs.

He added that the numbers confirm Jordan is steadily moving toward a more robust digital economy.

Regarding connectivity, Jordan scored 25.3 points, placing 86th globally. Al-Duwairi said widespread 4G and 5G network coverage remains one of the country’s strengths, supporting daily use of digital services and ensuring reliable internet access across much of the country.

On the skills front, he highlighted Jordan’s strong ranking 20th globally in the number of ICT graduates, pointing to a solid educational foundation.

In the impact pillar, Jordan scored 25.57 points and ranked 84th, with the ICT sector making a meaningful contribution to the national economy. However, he stressed the need to further increase this contribution to strengthen Jordan’s position as a regional technology hub.

He concluded that Jordan is on a firm path toward enhancing its digital readiness and competitiveness, leveraging progress in connectivity and human capital, and holding real potential to improve its ICT index standing regionally and globally.

Telecommunications and IT expert Wasfi Al-Safadi also emphasized Jordan’s positive trajectory, noting that ranking 73rd globally indicates a strong knowledge base. However, he said the main challenge is not a lack of resources, but the limited conversion of these resources into tangible economic and digital outcomes.

Al-Safadi said improving performance requires action in three key areas: reducing digital access costs so households and businesses can more easily benefit from online education, entrepreneurship, and innovation; aligning education with labor-market needs; and transforming knowledge into economic value by supporting digital startups, boosting innovation, increasing tech services exports, and attracting investment in advanced technologies.

He believes Jordan is moving in the right direction, and that targeted reforms in cost, skills, and digital economy development could elevate the country into the top 50 globally within a few years.

Digital governance and competition law expert Hamzeh Al-Akalik said Jordan’s ranking of 94th in the ICT sub-index marks the threshold between being a producer of technology or merely a consumer of it.

He explained that the challenge is not a shortage of talent Jordan has long been a source of skilled tech professionals but rather weaknesses in digital governance infrastructure.

The index evaluates not only the quantity of programmers or devices, but also the regulatory environment, internet quality and cost, and institutional readiness to adopt modern technologies. Ranking 94th, he noted, reflects a gap between acquiring technology and managing it effectively, as well as slow progress in developing data governance frameworks that ensure privacy and attract investors seeking secure digital environments.

Al-Akalik said that while Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision is a positive step, the next phase requires a national strategy for digital sovereignty built on three priorities: strengthening telecommunications infrastructure to improve quality and reduce costs; enhancing data protection laws in line with European standards to reassure investors; and expanding investment in future skills such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

//Petra// MF