Cities and provinces across Vietnam will set up digital transformation centers to introduce digital solutions to local people, according to the Minister of Information and Communications (MIC).

The centers will provide digital transformation guidelines and applications for businesses, the MIC said, adding that one locality will be selected in October to set up a digital transformation center on a trial basis. The move is aimed at helping localities and enterprises overcome barriers to digital transformation.

The MIC will also issue manuals to guide localities in digital transformation. "All ministries, sectors, and localities have set up steering committees on digital transformation and issued digital transformation plans," the ministry said.

Digital transformation to spearhead Vietnam's drive

In the era of the fourth industrial revolution, the application of modern technology, smart production development, and digital transformation is an inevitable trend for enterprises, MIC said.  

Mobile carriers have been actively involved in the process of upgrading digital infrastructure and ensuring data privacy in Vietnam. Photo: Cao Hung

The ministry expects Vietnam to have 80,000 digital technology companies by 2025, which will meet at least 50% of digital technology and services from government agencies.

In 2021, Vietnam set a target for the digital technology industry to lead the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the country, with revenue growth 2.5 times higher than the overall GDP expansion rate.

The target was revealed in the MIC's directive for the development of information and communication technology (ICT) in 2023 and 2024-2025.

"Digital technology, which focuses on design, creation, and manufacturing in Vietnam, is the key industrial sector driving the country's industrialization and modernization, contributing to greater digitalization capability, and shaping a digital country," the MIC said.

Under the plan, the ministry expects revenue from the ICT sector to reach US$165 billion in 2023, rising to US$185 billion by 2025.

In 2022, Vietnam's ICT sector revenue reached $148 billion, an increase of 8.7% from the previous year. The industry's contribution to GDP is estimated at $34.3 billion, up 8.7%.

As a leading locality in the country's digitalization drive, Hanoi has implemented various strategies, such as "Digital Transformation of Hanoi by 2025, with a Vision by 2030", "Plan to develop the National Digital Address Platform linked to digital maps", and others.

In early November 2022, ITG Technology JSC officially launched a Digital Transformation Center (ITG DX) to support enterprises in digital transformation in Hanoi, in response to the Vietnamese government's National Digital Transformation Program.

The center developed three major goals, from raising awareness to implementing and popularizing the values of digital transformation for the Vietnamese business community. The ITG DX provided businesses with knowledge on basic digital transformation and experience from many leading experts in Vietnam and Asia who specialize in digital technology and transformation, and improving productivity and quality for businesses.

In the context of Vietnam's shortage of human resources with high technology and automation skills, the popularization of world-class information and knowledge helps every business improve its thinking and skills to penetrate deeper into the global supply chain.