Bahrain has solidified its position as a leading digital economy, ranking third among Arab States and 36th globally in the latest Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2025.
The report, titled ‘AI Governance in a Global Context,’ was published by the Portulans Institute in partnership with the World Governments Summit.
It highlights the kingdom’s exceptional performance in human capital and regulatory foresight, with Bahrain outperforming the regional average across all four main pillars: technology, people, governance, and impact.
The NRI 2025 data reveals several areas where Bahrain leads the world. The kingdom secured the number one global rank for population coverage by at least a 3G mobile network, ensuring universal connectivity.
In the education sector, Bahrain also ranks first globally for providing internet access in schools, while the nation’s legal framework was recognised as the best in the world for e-commerce legislation.
The kingdom’s greatest strength lies in its people, ranking 26th globally in this pillar. The individuals sub-pillar reached an impressive 15th place worldwide, driven by high digital literacy and the widespread use of virtual social networks.
Furthermore, Bahrain demonstrated high levels of trust, ranking 20th globally in this sub-pillar, supported by a robust cybersecurity score of 97.52.
The report specifically praised Bahrain for its forward-thinking approach to emerging technology, ranking it 25th globally for future technologies and 23rd for its sophisticated government online services. Proving that digital growth supports quality of life, the kingdom also ranks eighth globally in the ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’ indicator.
Rafael Escalona Reynoso, chief executive officer of the Portulans Institute, noted that digital readiness now reflects governance quality and institutional execution rather than income level alone. While the report suggests further opportunities to enhance fixed-line internet and digital content creation, the findings confirm that Bahrain is punching well above its weight on the global stage.
avinash@gdnmedia.bh
The NRI 2025 model
Bahrain rankings by sub-pillar
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