The UAE has emerged as a global leader in digital connectivity, boasting a staggering 99% of its population as active internet users, the highest percentage worldwide.
This revelation comes from the recently published “Digital UAE – Factsheet” report by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
The report sheds light on the nation’s digital landscape, showcasing a robust digital transformation strategy that has permeated every facet of life, both public and private. A key finding reveals the diversity of internet usage, spanning social networking, work, information search, learning, entertainment, and shopping. The data further underlines the nation’s commitment to digital advancement, as smartphone download speeds reached 161.15 MbPS, reflecting a year-on-year growth of over 2.3%. Fixed internet speeds also skyrocketed to 207.41 MbPS, marking a significant escalation from previous years.
Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director-General of TDRA, emphasized the significance of this report, underscoring the UAE’s prowess in digital solutions’ adoption. He noted that these findings epitomize the UAE’s digital maturity, rendering it a fertile ground for excellence.
Al Mesmar asserted, “Our successes stem from collective efforts of government entities operating under the principles of partnership and a ‘one national team’ approach. We are confident that these reports will unveil sustained progress across all relevant domains.”
One of the report’s focal points is the Unified Digital Platform (U.ae), the government’s central digital hub hosting an impressive 221 governmental entities that offer 2,630 digital services. The platform’s efficiency is evident from the record 30 million visits and the overwhelming 90% visitor happiness index it garnered throughout 2022.
The report also highlights the pioneering strides of the digital identity app, UAE Pass, which now boasts a user base of 5 million. This app facilitates access to a staggering 15,000 electronic services, streamlining citizens’ digital interactions with the government.
Furthermore, the country’s “.ae” domain witnessed a remarkable surge, with over 300,000 websites registered. Notably, this trend saw a 20% increase in domain registrations compared to the prior year, underscoring the burgeoning digital activity.
Social media has become an integral part of UAE’s digital landscape, with an impressive 10 million active accounts, translating to 105.5% of the population and 106.6% of internet users. Users spent an average of 2.33 hours daily on social media platforms. App downloads reached a staggering 569 million, indicating a year-on-year escalation of 16.4%, while spending on app purchases soared to Dh1.587 billion, marking a 25.3% surge in expenditure.
