Vietnam approves national digital transformation strategy for 2026 - 2030

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung has signed a decision approving the National Digital Transformation Strategy for 2026–2030, with a vision to 2045, setting out ambitious targets to build a prosperous, secure and human-centred digital nation while accelerating economic growth through data and artificial intelligence (AI).

Issued under Decision 1266/QD-TTg dated July 14, the strategy places people and businesses at the centre of the country's digital transformation, identifying them as both the driving force and the primary beneficiaries of the process.

Vietnam aims to become a developed digital nation where digital transformation is implemented comprehensively across all sectors and serves as the country's principal development model. The strategy envisions a modern system of national governance powered by data and AI, strong domestic capabilities in strategic digital technologies, platforms and products, and firm protection of national digital sovereignty.

The strategy outlines three groups of objectives covering digital government, the digital economy and digital society.

Under the digital government pillar, Vietnam targets the full digitalisation of all administrative records and the results of administrative procedures by 2030.

It aims for 99 per cent public satisfaction with online public services, while all ministries, sectors and localities are expected to use national shared digital platforms for governance, public administration and service delivery.

All government information systems will be connected through national data-sharing services, while every national, sectoral and provincial shared database will be standardised, interconnected and made ready for AI applications.

The strategy also calls for all provincial smart operation centres to be upgraded with AI capabilities for analysis, forecasting, early warning, monitoring and decision support.

Every public official and civil servant will have an electronic personnel record, and all government employees will receive digital skills training. Officials responsible for digital transformation and information technology will receive regular technology updates, while every public servant will be provided with an AI assistant account and trained to use AI-powered tools in public administration.

In addition, 70 per cent of official statistical indicators are expected to be compiled from administrative data sources, reducing reliance on traditional surveys.

Vietnam also aims to rank among the world's top 50 countries in the United Nations' e-government and digital government assessments.

The strategy sets an ambitious goal of increasing the digital economy's contribution to at least 30per cent of GDP by 2030.

At least 500,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will receive support to undertake digital transformation.

The country also plans to establish and operate at least five secure and legally compliant data exchanges to facilitate data sharing and innovation.

E-commerce is expected to account for 15-17 per cent of total retail sales and consumer service revenue.

Meanwhile, 45 per cent of SMEs in the commercial sector are expected to participate in major domestic and international e-commerce platforms.

The strategy also targets a dramatic expansion of cashless payments, with the total transaction value reaching 30 times GDP.

More than 40 per cent of SMEs are expected to adopt "model-as-a-service" platforms, AI agents or shared AI solutions to improve productivity and competitiveness.

To narrow the digital divide, the strategy aims to extend fibre-optic broadband infrastructure to all households nationwide.

At least 95 per cent of people aged 15 and above are expected to hold bank accounts or accounts with other authorised financial institutions.

More than 70 per cent of adults aged 18 and above will have personal digital or electronic signatures, while electronic health records are targeted to cover the entire population.

The Government also plans to provide basic digital skills training to at least 10 million working-age people during the 2026-2030 period.

Data identified as a strategic national resource

The strategy describes data as a strategic resource underpinning digital government, the digital economy and digital society.

It calls for the establishment of a unified national data governance framework based on the principles that data must be accurate, sufficient, clean, continuously updated, standardised, shared, securely protected and effectively utilised.

Priority will be given to completing and connecting national, sectoral and local databases while building an integrated national database that incorporates AI to support policymaking, public administration and service delivery.

Key databases will include population, land, business, finance, insurance, healthcare, education, labour, social security, public personnel, transport, and natural resources and environment.

The strategy also emphasises accelerating the digitalisation, standardisation, cleansing and reuse of administrative data to simplify procedures, shorten processing times, increase the proportion of fully online services and improve user satisfaction.

At the same time, Vietnam will continue expanding national shared digital platforms integrated with AI, including platforms for data integration and sharing, digital identity and authentication, digital payments, digital mapping, governance and reporting, AI assistants, open data, as well as sector-specific platforms serving healthcare, education, commerce, logistics, agriculture, tourism and smart cities.

Promoting a "Make in Vietnam" digital technology ecosystem

The strategy identifies Vietnamese digital technology enterprises as the core force for mastering and developing digital technologies while addressing major national digital transformation challenges.

These enterprises are expected to play a leading role in developing digital government, digital economy, digital society and the country's digital technology industry, while bringing digital technologies into every sector and locality.

Priority will be given to building a competitive "Make in Viet Nam" digital technology ecosystem centred on companies specialising in digital platforms, data, AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, semiconductors, software, digital content and sector-specific digital transformation solutions.

The Government also pledges to leverage its role as a major customer and market for domestic technology companies.

Through public procurement, government contracts, service outsourcing and regulatory sandbox mechanisms, the State will create early market opportunities for locally developed digital products and services, particularly in online public services, shared digital platforms, national databases, cybersecurity, digital healthcare, digital education, digital payments and digital governance.

In addition, digital technology enterprises will receive support to strengthen research and development, product design, intellectual property, quality standards, cybersecurity, commercialisation and market expansion.

The strategy also encourages stronger collaboration among large corporations, SMEs, research institutes, universities, innovation centres, high-tech parks and government agencies to build domestic digital technology value chains and increase local value added in Vietnam's digital products and services.

- (VNA/VLLF)