Azerbaijan ranks 5th globally in internet service efficiency

BAKU, Azerbaijan (MNTV) — Azerbaijan ranked fifth among 101 countries for the operational efficiency of internet services, according to the World Bank’s Business Ready 2025 (B-Ready) report, local media reported.

The country scored 31.05 in internet service efficiency, making it one of the strongest performers globally in the category, according to Report, citing the Information and Communication Technologies Agency under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.

The report also placed Azerbaijan 17th worldwide for regulatory quality, with a score of 30.83, and 27th for governance and transparency, scoring 29.17.

Overall, Azerbaijan ranked 25th in the utility services indicator with a score of 83.05, outperforming other countries in the region. Internet services contributed the most to the country’s performance in the utility services category, the report said.

The B-Ready study assessed the business and investment climate across 101 economies using three main indicators: regulatory framework, public services and operational efficiency. It also calculated average scores across thematic areas.

The B-Ready index replaces the World Bank’s Doing Business report and aims to provide a more balanced and transparent assessment of the business environment.

Its methodology is based on input from World Bank experts, governments, the private sector and civil society, and seeks to balance legal frameworks with real-world implementation.

In September 2021, the World Bank discontinued the Doing Business reports after identifying irregularities in data collection and presentation. Azerbaijan was among four countries cited in that review.

Subsequent research found that the scores of China and Saudi Arabia had been overstated, while Azerbaijan’s rankings in the 2018 and 2020 Doing Business reports were artificially lowered due to what the World Bank described as a biased approach by report authors.