Details of the five major barriers to national digital transformation revealed
Despite an expanding infrastructure network and growing digital economy revenues, the country faces five critical areas it must overcome in its digital transformation process.
Despite achieving a wide 5G coverage area and significant infrastructure investments, the national digital transformation process faces five fundamental challenges: data, platforms, infrastructure, artificial intelligence applications, and human resources.
Current Stage of Digital Transformation
Following a six-year implementation process, significant achievements have been made in institutional improvement, digital infrastructure development, and online public services.
According to data from September 2026, 5G coverage has reached 91.99% of the population, and fiber optic cables have expanded to all communes and neighborhoods.
Economic and Legal Developments
There are 81,600 digital technology businesses operating in the country, and digital economy revenue has reached approximately 3.6 trillion VND.
The year 2026 marks the official entry into force of the Digital Transformation Law, alongside the publication of national architecture and cybersecurity frameworks.
Data and Digital Platform Issues
Although numerous databases have been established, the data implementation process remains slow in certain sectors and institutions.
Meanwhile, the development of digital platforms is uneven, progress remains slow, and a fragmented structure persists among ministries and sectors.
Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence Barriers
The demand for high-performance computing infrastructure to support artificial intelligence research and big data is increasing day by day.
The process of applying artificial intelligence in businesses, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises, has not progressed at the expected speed.
Human Resources and Proposed Solutions
There is a shortage of specialized personnel to manage digital transformation processes across ministries and local authorities, especially at the commune level.
To overcome these challenges, recommendations include institutional improvements, the development of synchronized infrastructure, and the establishment of a citizen-centric digital government.