IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Among 144 economies, Singapore ranked second for its effective use of information technology to boost growth and competitiveness. This is according to the recently released “Global Information Technology Report 2013,” published jointly by the World Economic Forum and international business school INSEAD.

Analysis from Singapore company registration consultancy AsiaBiz Services reveals that Singapore's top 2 ranking is consistent with the city-state’s current efforts to improve efficiency gains through ICT, and ultimately achieve productivity-led growth.

Two other key factors worked in the republic's favor: the ease of starting a business, and the high quality of trade and transport infrastructure.

This was according to the Global Innovation Index 2012, which was released yesterday.

Singapore has eclipsed London to take top spot in a biennial study that ranks the top 50 smart city governments in the world.

The Republic took the honours due to factors such as its technology infrastructure, digital initiatives and its “sterling” response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the authors of the report noted that “there always remains more to be done”, such as in preventing the spread of Covid-19 among the migrant worker population.

Singapore was followed by Stockholm, with Seoul completing the top three. Manila was at the bottom rung of the list in 21st place, below neighboring Jakarta which was at the 19th spot.

Singapore has taken the pole position among the 10 countries in Accenture's new study on how governments use digital applications to engage citizens.

The study, "Digital Government Pathways to Delivering Public Services for the Future", measured the effectiveness of 10 sample countries in various digital applications from offering online portals to access public services as well as employing digital channels and social media to communicate and engage with citizens.

Retaining its position from 2012, Singapore topped the rankings this year, followed by Finland and USA. Factors such as Singapore’s new e-citizen portal, along with the high coverage of fibre-based broadband, upgrades to mobile government, and OneInbox (a secured platform allowing citizens to receive government letters electronically) led to Singapore’s high rank.

The study, conducted by Japan's Waseda University, assesses the development of e-government practices around the world.

This is the first time an Asian country is leading the ranking.

Living in a city where digital innovation and technology are used to drive sustainability and liveability is a dream for many people. Such urban settlements are called "smart cities." A recent survey showed that Singapore has been the best example of such an innovative city for the past two years

For several years, Singapore has invested in innovations designed to increase the use of electric and autonomous vehicles. The city has also given access to its inhabitants to data such as city noise levels, levels of air humidity and parking spots available... With such initiatives common for its inhabitants, the city-state remains the smartest city worldwide for the second year in a row in a recent ranking.

Singapore tops the Smart City Index 2021, a ranking of the global cities most actively embracing technology, but also ecological, health and societal issues. The Asian city comes ahead of Zurich and Oslo. These are all cities that, according to their residents, have managed the Covid-19 crisis effectively, and which are also likely to become rapidly resilient.

The latest data suggests that environmental concerns are ultimately strongest in relatively wealthy cities. More broadly, access to better air quality and increased health services have become priorities since the onset of the pandemic. Indeed, the Covid-19 crisis has dramatically changed the way leaders of large cities think about the challenges ahead. In addition to the climate emergency, health-related factors are also becoming a priority.

These cities have been ranked according to ICT maturity and development and all three of them were successful in meeting many social, economic and environmental targets by making extensive investments in ICT.

These countries were ranked highly because of “their integration of e-services, expanded roll-out of mobile applications and provision of opportunities for e-participation,” the report explained.

Australia and New Zealand also made it to the top 20, scoring 8th and 15th respectively.

After returning home from a six-month study exchange programme in South Korea, student Loh Zixu had to get used to longer waits for file downloads and lags during video streaming.

It is no wonder that the 23-year-old architecture undergraduate felt the vast difference in broadband connectivity, with South Korea boosting an average download speed of 33.95 Mbs (bits per second) and ranking first in the world for its download and upload speeds.

Another feather has been added to the throne of the Singaporean government just ahead of the country's 52nd NDP. The country has been rewarded for its continuous efforts to bolster citizen services through digital technology. For consecutive three years now, Singapore has been placed at the top at the latest Waseda-IAC International E-Government Ranking list.

Singapore has always been highly praised for key factors of the country like network preparedness and e-participation since the first edition of the study by distinguished academics from Japan's Waseda University and member universities of the International Academy of CIO (IAC) came out in 2005.

Singapur ist die weltweit erfolgreichste Volkswirtschaft im Bereich der Ausschöpfung von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie. Dies geht aus dem globalen Informations- und Technologie-Bericht des Welt-Ökonomie-Forums hervor, der heute, Mittwoch, in Genf vorgestellt wurde. Der Bericht bezeichnet Singapur als besten Dienstleister in verschiedenen Bereichen, wie zum Beispiel der mathematisch-wissenschaftlichen Ausbildung oder dem E-Government. Die Vereinigten Staaten, die sich fünf Jahre in Folge an der Spitze des Rankings befanden, das seit 1999 jährlich vom Welt-Forum vorgenommen wird, wurden auf Platz fünf gedrängt. Österreich konnte einige Plätze gut machen und stieg von Rang 21 auf Rang 19. Deutschland fiel von Rang 14 auf Rang elf zurück.

According to the report, e-government and e-administration are fully available to citizens in Slovenia and availability to businesses is 88%.

Around 88% of enterprises in Slovenia use e-government, which is among the highest rates in the EU, and among citizens the rate is 44% in Slovenia, while the EU average is 41%.

Singapore has gained two places to become the only Asian city among the top five smartest cities in the world in 2024.

The index, produced by the Swiss business school Institute for Management Development (IMD), lists 142 cities in all, ranking them on the basis of how they use advanced technology for improvement in the lives of the citizens.

Synopsis: The Smart City Index 2025 highlights global leaders like Zurich and Dubai, driven by technology, governance, and citizen well-being. While European and Middle Eastern cities excel, Indian cities face challenges of infrastructure, housing, and governance. Bridging these gaps is vital to achieving sustainable, competitive, and inclusive urban growth.

The worldwide quest for citizen-friendly, technology-led smart cities is accelerating, with cities looking to improve livability, governance, and sustainability. The IMD Smart City Index 2025 ranked Zurich first as a model of excellence, while Indian cities face significant challenges. This article analyses India’s rankings and explores opportunities for urban development.

Saudi Arabia capital Riyadh has jumped 18 placesto finish 53rd out of 109 in a list of the world’s smartest cities.

Globally, Singapore, Helsinki and Zurich came out on top of the index in a year that saw many European cities fall.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi and Dubai have emerged as the smartest cities in the region.