Growth in public services and other industries is constrained in Tajikistan by failure to digitalize for lack of sufficient investment, digital skills, regulatory and institutional frameworks, or interagency coordination.
The Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2025, ADB’s flagship economic publication released on April 9, says these impediments translate into a fixed broadband penetration rate that is among the lowest in Central Asia, as only 40.8% of families had internet access at home in 2023. The country’s high mobile penetration rate is undercut by slow mobile internet speed, ranked 139th globally. The high cost of internet service and inadequate digital infrastructure, especially for the government, hinders widespread adoption. The number of digital wallets reached 10.4 million in mid-2024, contributing to a 16.2% increase year on year in cashless transactions, but the adoption of digital payments remains uneven, with rural areas particularly underserved.
The government is integrating digital transformation objectives into the country’s development agenda. Government policies play a crucial role in facilitating eventual digital transformation and e-governance, notable initiatives being the Concept of the Digital Economy, approved in 2019; Medium-Term Program for the Development of Digital Economy 2021–2025; and Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence until 2040.
These policies outline a comprehensive strategy to integrate modern digital technologies into the national economy. The activation of the Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies under the President in 2024 and the recent adoption of the National E-Commerce Program 2025–2029 underscore the government’s commitment to digital transformation. By leveraging digital technologies in the public and private sphere, Tajikistan can transform industry, improve livelihoods, and foster sustainable development.
A concerted effort is needed from all stakeholders to establish robust and agile digital public infrastructure, which is essential for efficient, inclusive public services delivered digitally to all population groups. As Tajikistan’s economy gradually modernizes, digital interaction for payments, identity verification, and data exchange are becoming crucial for individuals, businesses, and government. Medium-term priorities include digitalizing public services, expanding physical infrastructure for digital services, nurturing digital entrepreneurship and electronic commerce, enhancing human capital through skills development, and improving legislative and regulatory frameworks for greater digital transformation and growth.
It is important to note that internet in Tajikistan is considered one of the most expensive in Central Asia and the world. According to the 2024 Global Relocate ranking of internet traffic costs, Tajikistan ranks 142nd out of 238 countries and territories, with an average cost of $1.65 per gigabyte.
For comparison, in Kyrgyzstan, 1 GB costs an average of US$0.17 (8th place in the world), in Uzbekistan – US$0.30 (22nd place), and in Kazakhstan – US$0.41 (35th place). In other words, the internet in Tajikistan is almost 9.5 times more expensive than in Kyrgyzstan, 5.5 times more expensive than in Uzbekistan, and 4 times more expensive than in Kazakhstan.
In the fixed broadband speed ranking (Speedtest Global Index), Tajikistan ranked 118th out of 154 countries in February 2025. The average download speed was 33.77 Mbps, significantly below the global average of 98.3 Mbps.
In terms of mobile internet speed, Tajikistan ranked 139th out of 143 countries worldwide.
