News Today: Sri Lanka digital economy growth to USD 15 billion by 2030

The Chief Presidential Adviser on Digital Economy, Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, has outlined an ambitious plan to reposition and significantly grow Sri Lanka’s digital economy. Addressing reporters last week, Dr. Wijayasuriya highlighted the goal of expanding the nation’s digital sector from its current share of about 3%–5% of the total economy—approximately USD 3–5 billion—to a remarkable USD 12–15 billion over the next five years.

Achieving this fivefold growth means that digital tools, AI, cloud computing, data as a digital raw material, and IR4 technologies must deeply integrate into every industry across Sri Lanka. Dr. Wijayasuriya emphasized that such digital penetration will generate extensive opportunities for the local IT and service industries, creating new jobs and attracting investment.

However, to truly capture these opportunities, Dr. Wijayasuriya stressed the importance of building trust frameworks, ethical guidelines, openness (including open-source practices), and quality standards. Industry associations like SLASSCOM can play a leading role by championing these frameworks, fostering talent reinvention, and helping Sri Lanka align with what global investors and buyers seek.

He candidly pointed out that despite opportunities, Sri Lankans are often slow to adapt, limited by assumptions and parochial thinking. Overcoming this mindset requires proactive change management from industry leaders, associations, and stakeholders, who can guide the shift needed for the country to stay competitive in the global digital economy.

Dr. Wijayasuriya also highlighted that attracting foreign investors depends on the flexibility to expand beyond Sri Lanka’s relatively small domestic market. He noted that if Sri Lankan innovators create globally competitive products, they must have the opportunity to scale internationally—while keeping their headquarters and intellectual property rooted in Sri Lanka.

Ultimately, the vision is to transform Sri Lanka into a future-ready digital hub driven by openness, ethical innovation, and a globally competitive talent pool—paving the way for the country’s digital economy to exceed USD 15 billion by 2030.