World Bank Approves $50M for Sri Lanka’s Digital Push

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a USD 50 million project to support Sri Lanka’s digital transformation, focusing on modernising government services and strengthening the country’s digital economy.

The Sri Lanka Digital Transformation Project will develop people-centric digital public infrastructure, including an integrated online portal for government services, secure data-sharing systems across state agencies, a digital locker for official documents, and a scalable government cloud platform. Training programmes will also be provided to help citizens and public servants adopt the new services.

World Bank Group Country Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives Gevorg Sargsyan said the initiative would improve service delivery and create new opportunities for private sector-led innovation by investing in core digital platforms and skills.

The project will also support Sri Lanka’s technology and startup ecosystem through a digital startup accelerator, with a focus on innovation, female entrepreneurship and helping mid-sized tech firms access international markets. These measures are expected to attract around USD 10 million in private investment, supporting job creation and higher IT export earnings.

In addition, the project aims to strengthen disaster preparedness and response by enabling real-time data sharing, improved coordination among government agencies and continuity of essential services during emergencies.

The initiative will be implemented by GovTech Sri Lanka Ltd. in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Economy, and aligns with Sri Lanka’s national development goals and the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework.