Overview

According to Business Monitor International (BMI), Colombia’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector is expected to grow by 6% in 2025, thanks to digital transformation and cloud adoption momentum. This is a smaller growth rate than in the past, down from 13.9% in 2024. Due to local increased inflation and Colombian peso depreciation against the U.S. dollar, U.S.  hardware and software products may experience market entry difficulty in the increasingly price sensitive Colombian market.

Table 1: Colombia’s ICT Market Value

Units: $ billions
Source: BMI 

The hardware industry in Colombia is relatively small, and the market is heavily dependent on imports. In contrast, the software and services industry has emerged as an important regional nearshoring center.
According to BMI, the computer hardware market in Colombia faced a slowdown in U.S. dollar terms in 2023, growing only 5.7% due to peso depreciation and inflation. The local software industry boasts numerous development firms, many expanding regionally. These local firms excel in financial applications, digital animation, and mobile and web applications.

Table 2: Colombian Imports in I.T. Hardware

Units: $ million
Source: BMI 

The total imports of I.T. hardware amounted to $1.7 million in 2023; a 21.3% decrease compared to 2022. There was a sharp fall in notebook import demand, while the server import value was stable y-o-y in 2023. China was the primary source of imports for most product categories, except for server and storage equipment, where the higher share was from Mexico and the United States. 

Table 3: U.S. ICT Services Exports and Imports to Colombia

Table 4: Computer Services

(*) Transactions between zero and +/- $500,000
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, in millions $ 

Leading Sub-sectors

Best prospects for the ICT sector include digitization and cyber security solutions.

• Cloud Computing Services: Expanding data-center capacities, introducing more services by cloud vendors, and increasing platform-as-a-service adoption from enterprises.
• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): The adoption rate for on-premises software is low in Colombia, and many firms are preparing to bypass the on-premises era and go straight to the cloud.
• Cybersecurity: driven by digital transformation, increased cyber threats, and rising regulatory demands.
• Artificial Intelligence: AI technologies are expected to be crucial in optimizing business operations, enhancing decision-making processes, and driving economic growth.

Opportunities

The adoption of cloud services due to digital transformation will be the most significant driver of the ICT market development in Colombia over the medium term. U.S. companies can take advantage of the benefits of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA).

Since May 2012, the CTPA has been in effect, including a chapter specifically addressing ICT services. This chapter governs access to public telecommunication services. It outlines obligations for suppliers of these services, covering aspects such as interconnection, service resale, number portability, and dialing parity. It also defines the obligations of major suppliers of ICT services.

There is a growing need for ICT investments and services that enhance efficiency and flexibility in financial services, including digitization, fraud detection, and cybersecurity solutions. Opportunities for U.S. companies will be bolstered by improved connectivity, increased equipment affordability, and multi-sector economic growth.

Public Government tender opportunities are found on MinTIC’s website.

Regulators 

MinTIC is responsible for monitoring and controlling the sector, except in subjects related to user protection and anti-competitive practices, which is the responsibility of the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC). 

The National Spectrum Agency (ANE) is the spectrum management adviser. 

The Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) regulates the communication market under regulatory improvement criteria to protect citizens’ rights and promote competition, investment, and the quality of services and information pluralism.

Trade Events

ANDICOM
September 3 – 5, 2025
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

ANDICOM is the most important event in the ICT industry in Colombia and the region, where high-level public and private authorities meet in a marketing and high-level academic environment. It has the support of multilateral entities such as the World Bank, IDB, OAS, the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, and the Communications Regulation Commission of Colombia, among others. This annual event attracts around 6,000 participants, including key industry figures at business and governmental levels, to generate significant synergies that outline and, on many occasions, define the sector’s policies. 

Resources     

• Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones (MinTIC) (Spanish)
• Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC) (Spanish)
• Agencia Nacional del Espectro (ANE) (Spanish)
• Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (MinCIT) (Spanish)
• Cámara Colombiana de Informática y Telecomunicaciones (CCIT)  (Spanish)
• Federación Colombiana de la Industria de Software y TI (Fedesoft) (Spanish)

For additional information, including market analysis, trade events, and the products and services that the U.S. Commercial Service can provide to help you succeed in the Colombian market, please contact:

U.S. Embassy Bogota 
C.S. Colombia
Rafael Jiménez 
ICT Commercial Specialist
Rafael.jimenez@trade.gov 
+57 (601) 275-2814