Sri Lanka’s ICT sector is gaining momentum as a major contributor to service exports, with the sector recording around $ 536 million in earnings during the first four months of 2026 and annual growth of about 20%, according to Export Development Board (EDB) officials.
Speaking on Ada Derana’s ‘Big Focus’ programme yesterday (22), EDB Director Indumini Kodikara said ICT has become one of the key sectors supporting Sri Lanka’s efforts to improve export growth and strengthen its position in global value chains.
“The ICT sector is a key segment to look forward to, which strengthens the country’s position in the global value chain. In the previous year to early 2026, contribution for the service exports from the ICT sector was around 1.7%, which is more than tea exports,” Kodikara said.
She said the global services market is expanding, while Sri Lanka is also seeing increased opportunities in the sector due to lower production costs and higher value addition.
“In the global market for service exports, about 27% of goods and services are through the services sector. The growth in services has increased in the world, and it is also increasing in Sri Lanka, due to low cost of production and high value addition,” she said.
EDB Chief Executive Officer Mangala Wijesinghe, as cited by The Daily Morning Business, said the ICT segment has emerged as one of the significant contributors to Sri Lanka’s service exports, recording a 20% increase each year. He said the sector contributed around $ 536 million to Sri Lanka’s service exports during the first four months of 2026.
The EDB is seeking to raise service sector revenue to $ 5 billion by 2030, with plans to support ICT through infrastructure facilities, training, and development initiatives.
Kodikara said the services strategy is not limited to ICT, noting that transport and logistics had also recorded growth of 1.9% from last year to early 2026. She said the EDB is also focusing on electronics and electrical services, as well as marine and offshore services, to capture opportunities in areas that remain underutilised.
“We can further improve the services of this sector. We are also focusing on the Electronics and Electrical Service sector, and Marine and Offshore Service sector to take opportunities. Thus far, this is a sector that Sri Lanka has not utilised. Hence, there is a potential to improve that too.”
Kodikara said Colombo Port remains the country’s largest transit shipment hub, while ongoing terminal upgrades are expected to support future expansion.
“Currently, Colombo Port is the largest transit shipment hub for the country. We handle about 7 billion TEU’s at the hub, while working to increase it to a target of 9 billion TEU’s subsequently. At present, the terminal is being upgraded. Hence, we need to bring foreign investments to the country to improve this further,” she said.
Wijesinghe said Sri Lanka Customs and the Port Authority Administration are playing an important role in supporting foreign investment into service sectors.
“Sri Lanka Customs and the Port Authority Administration, under the patronage of the Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is now playing a key role in supporting the growth of foreign investments to further improve the service sectors.”
“Through the Hambanthota and Trincomalee hub, we will focus on the vulnerabilities in Sri Lanka and bring investments to the transport and logistics sector. We have already planned to develop the capacity side towards transport and logistics.” he said.
Kodikara said Sri Lanka is also pursuing trade discussions with potential partner countries to strengthen its integration with global value chains and support the National Export Development Plan.
“At present, there is the Japan-India corridor. Through that, we will focus on how we can produce in Sri Lanka and send it from Sri Lanka to India, and from there to be recognised globally. This is not only limited to the ICT sector but also for other alternative service export sectors, to improve the services sector toward achieving the target of $ 5 billion according to the National Export Development Plan (NEDP),” she said.