The “Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026–2028” was approved by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The Action Plan was approved during a meeting which also led to the creation of Digital Development Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the task of setting priorities in digitalization, e-government, artificial intelligence, and innovation, as well as to strengthen the national technological capacity and digital sovereignty. The Action Plan is a strategic document which outlines comprehensive measures and strategic objectives that will transform the country’s technological landscape over the next three years.
The Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC) will carry out the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the measures stipulated in the Action Plan, based on the request of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.Thje financing for the measures outlined in the Action Plan will be provided through the state budget and other sources prescribed by law. The Digital Development Council will coordinate the measures and oversee their execution. The Ministry of Digital Development and Transport is required to inform the President of Azerbaijan once a quarter regarding the implementation status of the measures in the Action Plan.Furthermore, monthly information on the implementation of the measures specified in the Action Plan must be submitted to the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication by the 10th of each following month.
During the 2026–2028 implementation period, the Action Plan envisages the adoption of a unified data governance framework and the implementation of the “once-only” principle, ensuring that citizens and businesses provide information to government authorities only once. It also aims to facilitate the transition to proactive public services, with all government services to be delivered through the MyGov and MyGov Business platforms. The plan includes establishing a legal framework for venture financing and crowdfunding, promoting angel investors, simplifying residency requirements for technology park residents, and supporting domestically developed innovative products through public procurement. In addition, it proposes introducing a Digital Nomad Visa to attract global talent, defining the legal status of independent professionals (freelancers), and simplifying migration procedures for skilled specialists. The Action Plan further emphasizes strengthening the knowledge and skills of professionals in ICT, artificial intelligence, and information security, completing the migration of all government information resources and systems to the Government Cloud, expanding the digitalization of financial services, and comprehensively modernizing legislation governing electronic commerce and information security.
The Action Plan primarily aims to achieve its strategic objectives and performance targets through priority areas and implementation measures identified on the basis of the country’s existing digital development landscape and emerging global trends. It places particular emphasis on strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors, expanding academic and scientific research, and fostering a vibrant startup and innovation ecosystem to accelerate the development and adoption of modern technologies.
On June 29, 2026, Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev briefed the First Vice-President on the work carried out and the tasks ahead regarding the implementation of the “Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development for 2026–2028.”He noted that the Action Plan covers 58 initiatives in the areas of digitalization, artificial intelligence, the innovation ecosystem, and cybersecurity. Touching upon the work carried out in the field of digitalization, the Minister said that roadmaps had been prepared with 40 state institutions, 13 of which had already been approved or were at the approval stage.
Successful implementation of the Action Plan is expected to significantly improve Azerbaijan’s position in international rankings. Over the next decade, it seeks to increase the contribution of the ICT sector to non-oil GDP, expand annual exports of digital products and services, raise the share of proactive public services to 50 percent, and accelerate the country’s transition towards an innovation-driven and globally competitive economy.
