Pakistan’s IT and IT-enabled services exports reached a record $4.6 billion in FY2025-26, according to State Bank of Pakistan data. Additionally, it is about 20% higher than FY2024-25’s $3.81 billion. But it remains roughly $400 million short of the government’s $5 billion target. The Pakistan cloud computing market size is expanding, as a contributor to growth. At home, the picture is mixed. Fintechs, export software houses, and most startups build on the cloud from day one. Many government departments and older enterprises still run their own servers. This report examines the Pakistan cloud computing market size in 2026. It analyzes how fast it is growing. Additionally, it covers the rules shaping the market and the skills shortage that slows adoption.
Pakistan cloud computing market size in 2026
There is no single official figure for Pakistan cloud computing market size. However, the published estimates measure different things, so the numbers do not line up.
Additionally, here is what the main sources say.
| Source | What it measures | Estimate |
| Statista (cited by ProPakistani, April 2026) | Public cloud services | Several hundred million US dollars a year by the mid-2020s, growing above 17% a year |
| NASTP and Khazana Cloud (November 2024) | Total cloud market | Above $800 million by 2025 |
| NASTP and Khazana Cloud (November 2024) | Government cloud spending | Above $300 million a year |
| NASTP and Khazana Cloud (November 2024) | Payments to international cloud providers | $300 million to $500 million leaving Pakistan each year |
Why the gap? Statista counts public cloud services sold to end users. Figures from local providers usually add private cloud, government data centres and related services. A large share of spending also goes to AWS, Microsoft and Google through billing accounts registered abroad. Consequently, this complicates the Pakistan cloud computing market size assessment.
The safest reading for 2026: Pakistan’s cloud market is worth several hundred million dollars a year, it is growing faster than the wider economy, and most of the money still flows to international providers.
Global and regional context
Gartner expects worldwide public cloud spending to grow 21.3% in 2026, driven largely by demand for AI workloads, and projects the market to reach $1.48 trillion by 2029. Closer to home, Gartner forecasts public cloud spending in India at $17.5 billion in 2026, up 28.1% from $13.7 billion in 2025.
Pakistan’s market is a small fraction of India’s. That shows how early the market still is, and how much room it has to grow.
Growth forecast: what is pushing the market
- Export demand. Software houses serving clients in the US, Europe, and the Gulf have to work on the same cloud platforms their customers use.
- Fintech and digital banking. New entrants are built cloud-first, and established banks are moving customer-facing systems to modern platforms.
- Government policy. The Cloud First Policy asks federal bodies to consider cloud before buying new IT infrastructure.
- Local cloud capacity. Providers such as NASTP with Khazana Cloud now offer data centres inside Pakistan for workloads that cannot leave the country.
- AI projects. Companies testing AI need GPU capacity and managed data services, which are far cheaper to rent than to build.
The regulatory picture in 2026
Pakistan Cloud First Policy
The federal government approved the Pakistan Cloud First Policy in February 2022. It tells public sector bodies to give cloud priority for new IT spending, and it sorts government data into five classes: Open, Public, Restricted, Sensitive/Confidential and Secret. Each class has its own minimum security level and determines where the data may be hosted, from public cloud for open data to private or government cloud for secret data.
A Cloud Board sets policy, and a Cloud Office inside the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication runs the work. In May 2026, the ministry began accrediting cloud service providers under the policy. Providers have to pass security vetting and independent audits by auditors registered with the Pakistan Computer Emergency Response Team, and six providers had applied at launch. The intent is that sensitive government data sits on servers inside Pakistan, under Pakistani law.
State Bank of Pakistan cloud outsourcing framework
Banks, microfinance banks and digital banks follow the State Bank’s framework on outsourcing to cloud service providers, issued in 2023. Regulated institutions can use cloud services if they meet SBP conditions on governance, risk management, security, and where data is held. This is why many banks run a hybrid setup: customer data on local or private infrastructure, other workloads on international platforms.
Data protection law
Pakistan still has no comprehensive data protection law. The Personal Data Protection Bill has gone through several drafts since 2018 and has not been enacted as of September 2026. Until it passes, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 covers personal data, along with sector rules such as SBP’s framework.
Cloud adoption by sector
Banking and financial services. The most regulated cloud users in the country. SBP’s framework allows cloud but sets conditions, so most banks mix local and international infrastructure. Digital payments and core banking upgrades drive most of the spending.
Telecom. Operators use cloud for customer apps, data analytics, and network virtualization ahead of 5G, while the core network stays on dedicated hardware.
Government. The Cloud First Policy sets the direction, but progress differs between federal and provincial departments. Provider accreditation, which started in 2026, should make it easier for departments to buy cloud services.
Startups and export software houses. Cloud-native from day one. Which platform they use usually depends on the client: AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
SMEs. Slower to move. US-dollar billing, a weak rupee, card payment limits, and a lack of in-house skills hold them back.
Multi-cloud and hybrid trends
Few Pakistani organizations rely on a single provider. A common pattern looks like this:
- Regulated or sensitive data stays on a local or private cloud to meet SBP or Cloud First rules.
- Customer apps, analytics, and AI run on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
- Containers and Kubernetes keep applications portable between platforms.
Running two or three platforms is harder than running one. Networking, identity and access, billing and security all work differently on each, and a team trained on only one provider has blind spots on the others.
The cloud skills gap
Ask hiring managers what slows their cloud projects, and most give the same answer: people. Developers are easy to find. Engineers who can design, secure, and run production cloud infrastructure are not.
The roles hardest to fill:
- Cloud solution architects
- Cloud and SysOps administrators
- DevOps engineers with cloud experience
- Cloud security specialists
- Engineers who can work across more than one platform
Employers use associate-level certifications as proof of the basics, most often AWS Solutions Architect Associate and Azure Administrator (AZ-104). In interviews, candidates are usually asked to explain what they have built, so lab and project work matters as much as the certificate.
Training for multi-cloud roles
Sherdil IT Academy’s Career Growth Multicloud Program is built for engineers who want to work across platforms. It runs on weekends for about 6 months, online or onsite at our campus in North Nazimabad, Karachi, and covers three clouds:
- AWS: three associate tracks in one: Solutions Architect, SysOps Administrator, and Developer
- Google Cloud: IAM, VPC networking, Compute Engine, Cloud SQL, Cloud Storage, load balancing, and autoscaling
- Alibaba Cloud: VPC, ECS, OSS, RDS, RAM, and server load balancing, with an optional security module
Students work on real client tasks and projects in a hands-on cloud lab, get a complimentary mock exam account, and receive lifetime LMS access on full payment. Onsite students get a working desk and internet. A certificate is awarded upon completing the training.
Fee: PKR 200,000 lump sum, or 6 monthly installments of PKR 35,000. Add PKR 60,000 to unlock full Sherdil E-Learning access with a Dubai-recognized certification.
If you would rather start with one platform, look at the AWS 3-in-1 Program or the Azure Administrator course. For exam fees across providers, see our guide to cloud certification costs in Pakistan.
Challenges and how organizations handle them
- Cost control. Cloud bills are in US dollars, so rupee movements change the monthly cost. Without tagging, budgets and alerts, spending grows quietly. Teams that review usage every month (FinOps) keep it in check.
- Data transfer fees. Moving data out of international cloud regions is charged, and analytics-heavy workloads feel it most. Keeping processing close to where the data sits cuts the bill.
- Compliance. SBP rules and the Cloud First Policy both expect clear records of where data lives and who accessed it. Logging and audit trails need to be set up from the start, not added later.
- Security across platforms. Each provider handles identity and permissions differently. Most cloud breaches come from misconfigured access, not from attacks on the provider.
- Skills. Still the most common reason projects stall.
- Learning on live systems. Staff often learn cloud on live systems, which is where expensive mistakes happen. DevOps training for the operations team helps automation and security get built in from the start.
A 12-month cloud roadmap for Pakistani companies
Months 1 to 3: assess and plan
- List applications and decide which can move, which must stay local, and which should be retired
- Check the SBP framework or Cloud First data classes that apply to you
- Train the core team on at least one platform
Months 4 to 6: pilot
- Move one or two low-risk workloads
- Set up cost alerts, tagging, and access controls before scaling
- Agree on primary and secondary providers
Months 7 to 9: migrate
- Move non-critical applications in phases
- Set up backup and disaster recovery with tested recovery times
- Add security monitoring across every platform in use
Months 10 to 12: optimize
- Move critical workloads once continuity plans are tested
- Review costs and resize resources
- Build internal expertise through advanced certifications
Frequently asked questions
What is the size of Pakistan’s cloud computing market?
There is no official figure. Statista puts the public cloud segment at several hundred million US dollars a year, growing above 17% annually. Local providers NASTP and Khazana Cloud estimated the wider market above $800 million by 2025, including government spending above $300 million a year.
Is cloud adoption growing in Pakistan in 2026?
Yes. IT exports reached a record $4.6 billion in FY2025-26; cloud and migration services are part of that, and the government began accrediting cloud providers in May 2026. Fintechs, software houses and startups lead; much of the public sector and older enterprise is still catching up.
What is Pakistan’s Cloud First Policy?
A federal policy approved in February 2022 that asks public sector bodies to give cloud priority for new IT spending. It sorts government data into five classes and sets where each class may be hosted. A Cloud Office in the Ministry of IT runs it, and provider accreditation began in 2026.
Does Pakistan have a data protection law that affects cloud data?
Not yet. The Personal Data Protection Bill had not been enacted as of September 2026. Personal data is covered mainly by PECA 2016, and banks also follow SBP’s cloud outsourcing framework.
Where do Pakistani companies store their cloud data?
Most enterprise workloads run in international regions such as the UAE, Singapore, and Europe. Regulated financial data follows SBP conditions, and sensitive government data is meant to stay on accredited providers inside Pakistan.
Which cloud certification is most in demand in Pakistan?
AWS Solutions Architect Associate and Azure Administrator (AZ-104) are the usual starting points. Kubernetes (CKA), cloud security, and multi-cloud skills carry the biggest premiums as you specialize.
How long does it take to learn more than one cloud platform?
It depends on your starting point. Sherdil’s Multicloud Program covers AWS, Google Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud over about 6 months of weekend classes.
Conclusion
Pakistan’s cloud market is growing, the rules are getting clearer, and local data centres now give companies an option for data that cannot leave the country. The bottleneck is people. Organizations that train their own teams will move faster than those waiting to hire.
Want to build multi-cloud skills? See the Career Growth Multicloud Program, call +92 331 8367709, or email training@sherdil.org.