The power of mobile to accelerate digital transformation in Pakistan

Pakistan is on a national development journey, rooted in the government’s commitment to national and global development goals. Several of these, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), will conclude by the end of the next decade. This underlines the urgent need for the government and other stakeholders to accelerate social and economic development in the country.

Mobile technology is at the heart of digital transformation in Pakistan. At a foundational level, it is the bedrock of fast, reliable and affordable connectivity. Mobile broadband networks now cover 80% of the population, and 97% of internet connections are based on mobile connectivity. The mobile ecosystem in Pakistan plays an increasingly important role in economic growth, through its direct contribution to GDP and through driving productivity and efficiency gains across different sectors of the economy.

To fully realise the opportunity mobile technology presents to achieve Pakistan’s national development aspirations, there is a need for key stakeholders on the country’s development journey to collaborate on key initiatives and actions that can increase access to mobile connectivity and accelerate its impact on the lives of individuals and communities. In this report we have identified three distinct but interrelated actions for stakeholders to enhance the impact of mobile-enabled digital transformation on Pakistan’s development aspirations: enhancing digital and financial inclusion; taking a holistic approach to digitisation; and leveraging mobile platforms for national development plans.