The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a $50 million loan to support the digital transformation of Piauí through the “Piauí Mais Digital” project. The initiative aims to expand digital connectivity, improve the supply and use of digital public services, enhance public management through digitization, and strengthen the digital capabilities of local businesses.
The project will finance the expansion of Piauí’s data transmission network and modernization of its data center infrastructure, alongside initiatives to improve risk management and cybersecurity incident response. Public employees will benefit from a certification program in artificial intelligence, aimed at enhancing the effective use of digitized and automated public services.
Inclusion is a key focus, ensuring that corporate systems and digital platforms are accessible to people with disabilities and that digital solutions serve vulnerable populations. Internet access points will be established in 13 quilombola communities, accompanied by a digital literacy program targeting residents in these areas.
The project also supports the digital economy by improving local businesses’ digital capabilities through technical assistance, the adoption of digital technologies in priority sectors, and talent development programs for women and vulnerable groups. It will strengthen the institutional capacity of the Secretariat of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Brazil’s first secretariat dedicated to AI topics.
The expansion of connectivity is expected to benefit around 755,000 residents across 99 municipalities, while programs related to the digital economy are projected to reach more than 200 companies. The project seeks to increase the availability of online public services and enhance public satisfaction, with digitization estimated to generate over R$130 million in savings for society and the state’s public coffers.
This initiative marks the 11th operation approved under the IDB’s Conditional Credit Line for Investment Projects (CCLIP) Brasil Mais Digital, launched in 2021. The IDB loan has a repayment term of 24.5 years, a six-year grace period, and an interest rate linked to SOFR, with the local government contributing $12.5 million in co-financing.
