Digital public infrastructure offers a transformative path for inclusive development. Countries across Asia and the Pacific can accelerate adoption through phased integration and trust-building.
Digital transformation is no longer simply an option for Asia and the Pacific. It’s the foundation for the region’s inclusive growth, modernized public services, and more resilient economies.
At the center of this transformation is digital public infrastructure, the systems of digital identity, digital payments, and data exchange that enable societies to run more smoothly, more openly, and in a way that includes everyone.
The potential impact of digital public infrastructure is extraordinary, according to a UNDP study. It can reduce administrative costs by up to 50%, improve service delivery by 30%–40%, and expand financial inclusion by up to 60% in low- and middle-income countries. Digital public infrastructure has the potential to accelerate development.
Countries across Asia and the Pacific are at various stages in their digital public infrastructure journeys. Some are at the nascent stage, with broad scope for digital public infrastructure advancement. Others are in the intermediate phase, with some core foundations in place. A few are well established, with a highly conducive environment for digital public infrastructure advancement.
We need to meet countries where they are in their digital public infrastructure journey, bolstering nascent and intermediate systems and further strengthening established digital public infrastructure with artificial intelligence and advanced analytics.
For governments embarking on this journey, assessing, building, and securing digital public infrastructure foundations is critical. A carefully constructed approach ensures that trust is built, adoption is widespread, and systems are sustainable. These steps are critical:
Establish foundations. Civil registration, digital identity, digital payments, and interoperable data systems form the anchors of inclusion. Without these, sectoral applications cannot scale.
Build trust. Technology alone is not enough. Digital public infrastructure is not just infrastructure, it is a social contract. Its success depends on the confidence of citizens, businesses, and institutions that their data and identities are safe.
Building secure and resilient digital public infrastructure requires embedding cybersecurity into every layer, from digital IDs to payment systems, and strengthening national capacity to withstand threats. Clear data governance frameworks are also essential, with rules on ownership, access, and accountability to ensure information is managed responsibly.
Privacy protections must be at the core of these systems, guided by consent, transparency, and international best practices that build public trust. At the same time, inclusion depends on digital skills—both citizens and government workers need the capacity to engage effectively with digital platforms and unlock the benefits of digital services.
Work across sectors. Implementing digital public infrastructure across sectors is not only a strategic imperative but also a powerful accelerator for adoption.
By embedding digital public infrastructure into core services such as social protection, health, education, agriculture, business, and utilities, governments can demonstrate tangible benefits that resonate with citizens and stakeholders.
These integrations create early wins like direct digital transfers to vulnerable populations or smart billing systems that build trust and showcase the value of digital public infrastructure in everyday life.
A sustainable digital public infrastructure strategy can be rolled out in stages to maximize adoption and equality. Early wins come from delivering social protection transfers and subsidies digitally, which reach the most vulnerable and build trust.
Health systems also benefit through electronic records and vaccination registries that improve services, while education advances with digital credentials and student registries that prepare youth for the future economy.
Inclusion can be deepened in rural areas through farmer registries, market platforms, and crop insurance, while streamlined registration, tax filing, and customs clearance reduce barriers for entrepreneurs and strengthen regional integration. Finally, smart metering and digital billing in energy and utilities embed digital services into daily life, completing the ecosystem.
This roadmap ensures that adoption grows in a logical, sustainable way, reaching people where it matters most.
The journey toward digital public infrastructure is one of both vision and responsibility. By investing in secure, inclusive, and trusted digital systems, countries across Asia and the Pacific can unlock new pathways for social inclusion, economic resilience, and sustainable development.
Digital public infrastructure is more than wires, servers, and code. It is the infrastructure of opportunity.
Source: blogs.adb.org
