- 15 of the country’s 22 ministries have no dedicated ICT personnel
BY THEMBA ZWANE
MBABANE – A new government report has painted a stark picture of the state of information and communication technology (ICT) across the public sector, warning that a severe shortage of skilled personnel and inadequate strategic investment have emerged as the biggest threats to Eswatini’s digital transformation agenda.
The findings are contained in the Digital Landscape Assessment Report, recently published on the Government of Eswatini’s official website. The assessment identifies human resource shortages, weak governance structures, poor planning and fragmented ICT spending as critical obstacles that could undermine government’s ambition to modernise public services through digital technology.
One of the report’s most alarming findings is that 15 of the country’s 22 ministries have no dedicated ICT personnel, leaving only seven ministries with formally assigned ICT staff. Even more concerning, only four ministries have officially designated ICT leads, while the average score for digital skills and staffing across all ministries stands at just 1.27, the lowest of all dimensions assessed.
Report warns ministries increasingly rely on staff employed in non-ICT positions
The report warns that ministries have increasingly relied on staff employed in non-ICT positions to perform technology-related duties. Communications officers, human resources officers, finance personnel and planning officers have, in many cases, been left to manage digital systems simply because they possess basic computer literacy. However, the report stresses that while these officials may be capable of handling routine digital tasks, they generally lack the specialised expertise required to manage complex ICT infrastructure, cybersecurity, enterprise systems and digital transformation programmes.
“This is the single most critical risk to sustainable digital transformation in Eswatini government,” the report states, warning that without internal ICT capacity, no amount of investment in new technology or internet connectivity will achieve its intended objectives.
The assessment further cautions that the shortage cannot simply be solved through support provided by the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP), which currently offers reactive technical assistance to ministries. Instead, it argues that every ministry requires embedded ICT leadership capable of driving institution-specific digital strategies.
Government should treat ICT staffing as national priority
According to the report, government should treat ICT staffing as a national priority and a prerequisite for all future digital investments.
The report also reveals that some ministries have attempted to bridge the staffing gap by informally assigning ICT responsibilities to officials who are not formally appointed into ICT positions. In other instances, employees with ICT qualifications are recruited into non-ICT posts but later perform technology-related functions.
While acknowledging this as an adaptive response to immediate operational needs, the report says the practice creates confusion over accountability, complicates workforce planning and limits career development and retention of specialised ICT professionals.
It recommends that government institutionalise ICT roles across ministries by creating properly funded ICT positions with clearly defined responsibilities aligned to each ministry’s digital transformation objectives.
ICT spending without strategic direction a concern
Besides staffing shortages, the report identifies another major concern – ICT spending without strategic direction. It notes that 10 of the 22 ministries have ICT budgets or expenditure, yet only two ministries have formal ICT strategies guiding those investments.
The report argues that this disconnect means ministries are purchasing ICT equipment and systems without an agreed framework to determine priorities, evaluate value for money or measure whether investments contribute to national development goals.
“This pattern of uncoordinated ICT spending is compounded by the absence of governance structures,” the report states.
Only one ministry currently has an active ICT steering committee, while no ministry has a formal Service Level Agreement with the Royal Science and Technology Park, making coordinated planning and accountability even more difficult.
ICT investments cannot be systematically prioritised or monitored
Without these governance mechanisms, the report warns that ICT investments cannot be systematically prioritised, monitored or aligned with national digital objectives.
The assessment further identifies the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) as government’s single biggest opportunity to improve digital integration.
Although the system is already deployed or being introduced across ministries, the report says its full implementation could fundamentally change the way government manages budgeting, procurement, payroll, reporting and financial data.
Rather than treating IFMIS simply as another technology project, the report recommends positioning it as a strategic national reform programme requiring organisational change management, staff training and improved internet connectivity to maximise its benefits.
Government’s previous digital transformation efforts
The report also reflects on government’s previous digital transformation efforts under the E-Government Operational Framework (2015-2019) and concludes that implementation fell significantly short of expectations.
Out of 153 commitments made across ministries, only 25 percent were fully implemented, while 35 percent were only partially achieved. A further 41 percent were never implemented at all, highlighting widespread delivery challenges.
Performance varied significantly between ministries. The Ministry of Health recorded the strongest implementation, successfully completing four of its seven commitments, partially implementing two and leaving only one outstanding.
In contrast, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development recorded the weakest performance, failing to implement any of its seven commitments.
The report also notes that 17 of the 22 ministries were unable to provide records or evidence relating to their commitments under the previous framework, raising concerns about institutional memory, monitoring systems and accountability.
Inadequate funding, shortages of dedicated ICT personnel
Among the recurring barriers identified were inadequate funding, shortages of dedicated ICT personnel and disruptions caused by the transition from the former Government Computer Services Department to the Royal Science and Technology Park.
According to the assessment, many ministries believe the transition negatively affected continuity and delayed implementation of planned ICT initiatives.
Overall, the report concludes that Eswatini’s digital transformation challenge is not primarily about technology itself, but about governance, institutional capacity and strategic planning.
Strengtheninh ICT leadership, recruiting specialised personnel
It argues that strengthening ICT leadership, recruiting specialised personnel, formalising governance structures and aligning budgets with clearly defined digital strategies are essential if government is to successfully implement its wider digital transformation agenda.
The findings come as government continues implementing its broader digital modernisation programme aimed at expanding online public services, improving efficiency and strengthening digital service delivery across ministries. However, the report warns that unless the fundamental issues of staffing, governance and coordinated investment are urgently addressed, these ambitions could remain difficult to achieve.
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