Digital Transformation of Public Finances: An Exploratory Case Study from the Global South

Modern service delivery in the public sector hinges on digital transformation, yet many government efforts fail to achieve desired outcomes due to various challenges. While digital transformation across sectors and industries inherently faces hurdles, the extant literature emphasises the critical role of context-specific challenges and enablers. This study explores the ongoing digital transformation of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED). Adopting a case study research strategy with interviews and document analysis as data collection methods, we identified several factors determining digital transformation success in public organisations. Presented in three categories—governance-related, technological, and organisational and managerial—these factors illuminate the challenges faced by MOFED, a large government ministry, in its digitaliation journey. Our findings contribute to both research and practice by offering insights into the interplay between integrating new technologies with existing systems and processes while navigating the complex stakeholder landscape within a public sector environment.