Jamaica’s digital strategy is guided by its national development plan, Vision 2030. While nascent digitalization efforts have driven some changes, the country still lags several of its peers. Chief among the successes is the launch of a national identification system (NIDS) and the expansion of internet access, especially in public spaces. The government is also strengthening its information, communications, and technology agency to a full-service ICT authority providing digital solutions. The government has also appointed a minister responsible for efficiency, innovation and digital transformation. Jamaica is also part of a global ‘50 in 5 campaign,’ to advance the implementation of digital public infrastructure (DPI) in 50 countries within five years. To protect data privacy and security of data, the government established the Office of the Information Commissioner and is in the process of creating a national cybersecurity authority.

Jamaica is actively pursuing a digital transformation agenda centered on wider internet access, government digital services (DPI/e-government), payments modernization, and enabling infrastructure (fiber, cloud, and data resilience). Internet penetration in 2024 was high (83 percent of the population) and digital payments moved sharply toward electronic channels in 2024, trends that set the stage for growth in fintech, BPO/IT services, e-commerce, and government digital platforms. The Ministry of Science, Energy, Technology and Transportation (MSETT), eGov Jamaica Limited, and private telecoms are central actors. Regulatory frameworks such as the Data Protection Act (DPA) are now in force and shaping how firms operate with personal data. Key near-term opportunities for U.S. companies lie in payments infrastructure, cloud & data centers, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure (DPI), digital skills & BPO capacity, and climate-resilient digital infrastructure. 

Government Plans & Strategic Programs

Jamaica has strategies and programs to grow its digital-services sector and expand e-government services. The government is rolling out a unique digital identity for citizens and building DPI components to make government-to-business and government-to-citizen interactions smoother. DPI initiatives are a priority to improve service delivery and reduce frictions for businesses. Major ISPs are investing in fiber upgrades and power-resilient networks to improve reliability and speed, and the government is investing in a national broadband network. 

Projected Digital-Economy Growth 

Internet penetration was 83 percent at the start of 2024 (approximately 2.4 million users). However, high speed broadband access remains low, and many rural areas lack connectivity. The government is exploring various ways to incentivize or subsidize expanding broadband access, especially in rural areas.  

There is a general shift from paper-based to electronic payments across the public and private sectors and this is expected to gather momentum as both government and businesses seek efficiency gains. With artificial intelligence expected to replace some lower level BPO jobs, Jamaica is re-positioning itself as a nearshore provider of higher value-added digital services. Investments in fiber, internet exchange points (IXPs), cloud and data infrastructure are key enablers of this new thrust and Jamaica is expected to leverage its geographic location for regional data routing. 

Competitive Environment 

Digicel and Flow are the dominant ISPs/mobile operators and are the primary investors in last-mile and backbone upgrades. Their network strategies shape market access and wholesale opportunities. Low Earth Orbit satellite internet services such as Starlink are also available. Mobile phone penetration now exceeds 100 percent, with some customers maintaining numbers with both providers.

Major domestic banks and established payments processors are central to digital payments adoption; a growing fintech ecosystem (including mobile wallets and merchant payment platforms) is competing to expand electronic payment usage. Coverage of consolidation/duopoly concerns in banking/payments has appeared in local press. 

Market Challenges

Frequent extreme weather risks infrastructure and data center uptime; resilience must be planned into any deployments. While network connectivity is good in urban areas and fiber rollouts are underway, last-mile reliability and rural coverage lag. Vandalism at key nodes connecting terrestrial networks to undersea cables can occasionally impact internet service island wide. 
  
Jamaica has strong pockets of tech talent but will need scale up education and training in higher-end software engineering, cloud computing, and cybersecurity to serve larger external contracts. Government and private up-skilling programs exist but capacity is still growing. Market dominance by a few incumbents (telecoms and major banks) can raise costs for wholesale connectivity and payments access and slow some innovation without partnership models.  

Regulatory Environment 

Jamaica’s Data Protection Act (DPA) became effective in 2023 and provides guidelines for the lawful handling of personal data and the protection of information, to safeguard the rights and privacy of individuals. Modeled on the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the act is intended to protect the personal data of individuals and covers areas such as the collection, storage, transmission, disclosure, and erasure of data.  

Personal data is defined as any information that can be used to identify an individual, and such information must be handled in compliance with the standards outlined in the DPA. The DPA outlines a person’s right to determine if and how their personal data is used, and individuals have a right to know: whether personal data is being processed and a description of the data; the purposes for which the personal data is being used; and the intended recipients of the data.
The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) regulates the country’s utilities (telecommunications, electricity, and water) to ensure they comply with prescribed rules and guidelines. The regulator develops the framework and sets rates and service standards for regulated sectors.  Other major regulators are the Bank of Jamaica (central bank) for deposit taking institutions (DTIs); the Financial Services Commission for non-deposit taking institutions (NDTIs); and the Fair-Trading Commission, which enforces the Fair Competition Act (FCA).    

Digital Trade Barriers

Cross-border data flows must consider DPA requirements; uncertainty about adequate mechanisms or permitted transfer safeguards can slow cloud or hosting decisions unless contractual safeguards are applied. A concentrated ISP market can translate to higher bandwidth costs for some business users and affect service margins. If banking/payment access is concentrated, fintech entrants and international sellers face higher onboarding friction or costs when integrating local payment rails. 

Digital Trade Opportunities

The pivot to digital payments is making Jamaica an increasingly attractive market for merchant acquiring mobile wallet interoperability, cross-border remittances, tokenization and fraud solutions. There are also growing opportunities for cloud hosting, managed services, and resilient data center solutions (including hybrid/edge deployments). Jamaica’s geographic location also provides a niche for international connectivity/transit; nearshore delivery of customer service, software engineering and fintech development to North American clients.   
Jamaica hosts several digital economy-based events each year and attendance is an effective way for U.S. firms to network and forge partnerships.      

While there are no requirements to find a local partner, there are advantages to using this approach, especially in pursuit of public request for proposals (RFPs). Companies can also utilize the services of the Embassy’s Commercial Section to pursue business opportunities.