Newsroom
Cyprus is making notable progress in its digital transformation, with coverage of very high capacity networks (VHCN) reaching 77.1% in 2023, a 28.5% increase from the previous year, according to the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy.
The European Commission’s annual report, which evaluates member states’ digital maturity, highlighted Cyprus' significant advancements. The Deputy Ministry announced that the country is steadily improving in various digital indicators, particularly in gigabit connectivity infrastructure and the percentage of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) specialists in the labor market.
VHCN coverage hit 77.1% in 2023, up from last year, and Cyprus aims to achieve 100% coverage by the end of 2025, aided by state subsidies to expand networks in less profitable areas. Impressively, Cyprus has already achieved 100% coverage in 5G mobile networks, reaching the European target for 2030 seven years early.
The rise in ICT specialists is also encouraging, with Cyprus now exceeding the European average of 4.8%, standing at 5.4%. This increase is crucial for accelerating digital transformation and adopting advanced technologies to tackle socio-economic and environmental challenges.
However, upgrading the digital skills of the general population and enhancing electronic health services remains a challenge. The digitization of government services, a key priority, saw a 16.3% improvement, significantly above the European average growth rate of 3.1%. More digital services are now available to both citizens and local businesses.
Despite satisfactory digital maturity levels among Cypriot small and medium-sized enterprises, the adoption of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence is still relatively low. On a positive note, the use of cloud services by businesses is encouraging, with Cyprus at 45.5%, above the European average of 38.9%.
Dr. Nikodemos Damianou, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy, expressed satisfaction with the country's digital ecosystem's steady growth and its positive direction. He reaffirmed the Government's commitment to digital transition and implementing digital solutions to benefit citizens' daily lives.
[With information from CNA]
