Information and Communication Technology governance and the sustainability of e-government initiatives in Southern African Development Community: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Background: Effective Information and Communication Technology (ICT) governance is crucial to sustaining e-government initiatives. Governance models improve service delivery and transparency, yet African countries, including those in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), face financial and technical pressures. The study draws on Institutional Theory and Sociotechnical Systems Theory (STST) to investigate ICT governance and e-government sustainability in SADC.
Objectives: To examine ICT governance and e-government sustainability in SADC by identifying good practices, governance structures, strategies, successes and barriers.
Method: The review used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach for screening and thematic synthesis. Using Boolean search terms, studies were identified in Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar from January to February 2026.
Results: The results show diverse implementation of international and locally adapted frameworks. South Africa provides the strongest documented evidence of ICT governance institutionalisation, while Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and others have developed local interoperability frameworks. However, initiatives remain hampered by technical, financial and institutional shortcomings.
Conclusion: The review shows that institutional maturity, socio-technical alignment, governance capability and sustained funding determine sustainability outcomes. Leadership commitment, stakeholder engagement and ongoing capacity-building are key success factors, while institutional, financial and technical pressures remain major threats.
Contribution: The study provides a roadmap for improving e-government sustainability in Africa.