For the third consecutive year, the USA leads the world in its access to, and use of, information and communications technology (ICT), according to the 2024 Network Readiness Index (NRI) published by Portulans Institute and Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.

The NRI model recognises the pervasiveness of digital technologies in today’s networked world and covers issues ranging from future technologies such as AI and IoT to the role of digital transformation in reaching sustainable development goals.

Singapore again claimed the second spot, with Finland keeping hold of third place. Movers in the top ten include Sweden, up to fourth, South Korea rising to fifth, and the UK moving up to eighth. The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark round off the leader board.

The NRI (networkreadinessindex.org) is one of the leading global indices on the application and impact of ICT in economies across the world. In this latest version, the report maps the network readiness landscape of 133 economies on their performances across four pillars – technology, people, governance and impact – with each pillar comprised of three sub-pillars, and a further 54 variables.

The USA leads due to its performance across technology adoption and innovation metrics, particularly excelling in areas such as AI scientific publications, VC deals in AI, and digital business transformation.

Regarding regional representation, Singapore and South Korea are the only countries from Asia and the Pacific that appear in the top ten, while the USA is the sole representative from the Americas. The remaining top ten positions underscore Europe’s dominance in global network readiness.

Notably, the small island nation of the Seychelles has debuted in this year’s ranking, impressively placing second globally in mobile app development, though this result reflects both its strengths and the impact of GDP PPP scaling in smaller economies. The UAE comes first in the world for the price of its mobile handsets. New entries this year include Sierra Leone, Yemen and Trinidad & Tobago.

“As digital transformation accelerates, the NRI 2024 highlights the essential role of public-private partnerships in building the foundations for digital readiness,” said Soumitra Dutta, president of Portulans Institute (portulansinstitute.org). “By working together, governments, businesses and civil society can create robust frameworks of governance, stability and trust that enable technology to reach its full potential in enhancing social and economic well-being. The findings emphasise the interdependence of policy, innovation and societal impact, helping to chart a path towards a resilient digital ecosystem.”

The rankings have seen Eswatini, Gambia, Guinea, Lebanon and Tajikistan fall from the list. Year-to-year comparisons of NRI rankings can be influenced by data availability and updates in the NRI model framework.

Among the top 25 countries, Europe is represented by seventeen nations. East and south-east Asia contributes four economies – Singapore, South Korea, China and Japan. Oceania is represented by Australia and New Zealand, and North America by Canada and the USA.

Middle- and low-income economies, notably China, Ukraine, Vietnam and Kenya, have significantly outperformed expectations in digital readiness, achieving scores that exceed their GDP per capita trendlines by at least 10%. Africa and Asia-Pacific lead regionally, with countries such as Rwanda, Brazil and Kyrgyzstan also displaying a notable performance. The lower middle-income group shows the largest concentration of high performers, highlighting its prominent role in this ongoing digital evolution.

China notably moves up in the rankings, securing the 17th spot and remaining the only middle-income economy in the NRI’s top 20 due to its formidable technological prowess.

In terms of income distribution within the 2024 rankings, 52 countries are high-income economies, 36 are upper-middle-income economies, 32 are lower-middle-income economies, and 13 are low-income economies.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a knowledge partner for the NRI and has provided research showing how the successful adoption of cloud technology is a key marker for digital readiness and has a positive impact on innovation and the economy at large.

“At AWS, we’ve witnessed first-hand the transformative power of partnerships between the public and private sector, and building a digital tomorrow requires not just technological advancements, but also a shared vision and commitment to global collaboration,” said Jeff Kratz, vice president at AWS (aws.amazon.com). “By continuing to invest in these partnerships and fostering a global ecosystem of innovation, we can ensure that the benefits of digital transformation are realised by all, creating a more connected, efficient, and equitable world.”