Antecedents, Decisions, and Outcomes for ICT Governance Adoption in the African Public Sector: A Systematic Review Based on McClelland Theory and ADO Framework

ICT governance is becoming indispensable for the planning and delivery of public sector services as more digital platforms are utilised in these processes. This research presents an overview and interpretation of the ICT governance adoption process in Africa’s public sector organisations using McClelland’s Need Theory. This systematic review used the SPAR-4-SLR methodology and the ADO framework. A collection of scholarly articles and grey literature on ICT governance between 2010 and 2025 was obtained through searches of the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Based on the results, it is apparent that ICT governance adoption in Africa is institutionally uneven and cannot be explained solely by technological models. While factors such as governance systems, regulations, and alignment contribute to institutional adoption of governance, relational factors such as stable leadership, cooperation, accountability, and trust seem to carry more weight. From the review, it becomes clear that, in some instances, governance structures are used symbolically to demonstrate adherence and legitimacy without operational integration within the institutions. This study concludes that ICT governance reforms in the African public sector must strike a balance among authority, cooperation, and governance performance to create value for society.