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8ASIAHALALDIRECTORY2022/2023averageforsomeOICcountries–allofthe6GulfCooperationCouncil(GCC)countriesandBruneiDarussalamGreaterappealforIslamicvaluesWithadeepersenseofembracingIslamvaluesMuslimconsumersarespendingmoreonhalalproductsandservicesAccordingtoSGIE2022globallymorepeoplefavouranincreasedroleforreligionintheircountriesthan20yearsagoAmongthehighestpercentagesthatwereinfavourofamoresignificantroleforreligionwereMuslim-majoritycountries-Indonesia(85percent)andMuslimsinNigeria(88percent)PewResearchCenterrevealeddatathat70to90percentofMuslimsin Asia-PacificandMiddleEastandNorthAfrica(MENA)regionsratereligionasveryimportantIthasbeenseenthatmanyhalalproductsandservicesarealsoutilisedbynon-MuslimcustomersDigitalconnectivityandgrowthofe-commerceIn2020manyOICcountriesfromtheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica(MENA)andSouth-EastAsiaregionsclockedahigherinternetpenetrationthantheglobalaverageof59percentTheGCCcountrieshadalmost99percentofitstotalpopulationthatusedinternetTheAfricanregionwitnesseditshighestglobalgrowthfrompre-COVIDperiodwithnearly21percentincreaseininternetusersDigitalconnectivityisplayingacrucialroleinenablingdomesticandcross-bordere-commerceandmobile-commerceAmongtheOICcountriesthathavethehighestglobale-commerceandm-commerceadoptionabove theglobalaverageof768percentand554percentrespectively(December2020)areIndonesiaMalaysiaandSaudiArabiaTheupwardtrendseenacrossseveralMuslim-majoritycountriesareexpectedtokeepgrowinginthepost-COVIDeraandcontinue to fuel thegrowthofonlinebusinesses