Sustenance of the digital transformations induced by the COVID-19 pandemic response: lessons from Tanzanian public sector

Abstract

Purpose
The emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected organizations differently, leading to adopting alternative business operation models, including digital technologies. The rapid adoption of digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how adaptive technologies intersect with human and social institutions in potentially risky or inequitable ways. However, the sustenance of the digital transformations (DTs) induced by the COVID-19 crisis is still unclear. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the sustenance of DTs accelerated by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic response in the Tanzanian context amid the crisis.

Design/methodology/approach
The study used a qualitative approach that included a literature review and semi-structured interviews with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) personnel from selected public institutions in Tanzania. The interviews elicited interviewees’ perspectives on the following: the digital revolution that occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak; how it affects their work; and the country’s future digital landscape. Additionally, a literature analysis established and generalized the practices used by the governments during the COVID-19 crisis.

Findings
The results show that there is enormous, colossal press toward adopting digital solutions. The use of digital technologies, such as digital payments, e-commerce, telemedicine and online education, has attracted the attention of businesses and individuals in Tanzania. Consequently, the move has enabled the country to cope with the cascading impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and progressive economic recovery to achieve its development goals. Furthermore, the findings offer policy strategies for taking the induced DTs to the next level and sustaining it.

Originality/value
This study reports the lessons from the DTs induced by COVID-19 and their sustenance. It also contributes toward forward-thinking reforms and policy measures that could help Tanzania and the likes harness the DTs'’ potential in the wake of the pandemic.

Full text

Sustenance of the digital
transformations induced by the
COVID-19 pandemic response:
lessons from Tanzanian
public sector
Deo Shao,Hilda Mwangakala,Fredrick Ishengoma,Hector Mongi,
Cesilia Mambile and Frederick Chali
College of Informatics and Virtual Education, The University of Dodoma,
Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania
Abstract
Purpose –The emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected organizations differently, leading to
adopting alternative business operation models, including digital technologies. The rapid adoption of digital
technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how adaptive technologies intersect with human
and social institutions in potentially risky or inequitable ways. However, the sustenance of the digital
transformations (DTs) induced by the COVID-19 crisis is still unclear. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the
sustenance of DTs accelerated by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic response in the Tanzanian
context amid the crisis.
Design/methodology/approach –The study used a qualitative approach that included a literature
review and semi-structured interviews with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) personnel
from selected public institutions in Tanzania. The interviews elicited interviewees’perspectives on the
following: the digital revolution that occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak; how it affects their work; and
the country’s future digital landscape. Additionally, a literature analysis established and generalized the
practices used by the governments during the COVID-19 crisis.
Findings –The results show that there is enormous, colossal press toward adopting digital solutions. The
use of digital technologies, such as digital payments, e-commerce, telemedicine and online education, has
attracted the attention of businesses and individuals in Tanzania. Consequently, the move has enabled the
country to cope with the cascading impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and progressive economic recovery to
achieve its development goals. Furthermore, the findings offer policy strategies for taking the induced DTs to
the next level and sustaining it.
Originality/value –This study reports the lessons from the DTs induced by COVID-19 and their
sustenance. It also contributes toward forward-thinking reforms and policy measures that could help
Tanzania and the likes harness the DTs’’potential in the wake of the pandemic.
Keywords E-government, Digital readiness, Digital transformations, e-Administration,
ICT4COVID-19, Pandemic management, Digital transformation sustainability
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first discovered in late 2019 in Wuhan, China,
and later became a global pandemic (Ullah et al., 2021). Since then, this respiratory viral
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support received from the University of Dodoma, Tanzania.
Tanzanian
public sector
Received 19 November2021
Revised 24 January2022
Accepted 19 February2022
Global Knowledge, Memory and
Communication
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-11-2021-0186
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2514-9342.htm

infectious disease has spread worldwide, putting millions of humans at potentially high
mortality and morbidity risks (HH et al.,2020). Until June 2021, COVID-19 spread to 213
countries and territories, infecting over 187.6 million people while claiming the lives of over
4 million people (Worldometer, 2021). Arguably, the widespread of COVID-19 pandemic has
significantly affected conventional businesses and organizations operations. As a result,
many countries implemented various measures such as social distancing, lockdowns,
curfew and hygiene measures to halt the disease’s rapid spread while strategizing business
activities resilience (Anderson et al.,2020;Rowan and Galanakis, 2020).
COVID-19 emerged when there is a growing importance of digital technologies locally
and globally. For the past decade, the use of digital technologies such as mobile, artificial
intelligence (AI), blockchain and robotics has set off a global push toward digital service
development. According to the United Nations (UN), these technologies have recorded a
penetration rate of 50% while disrupting the traditional ways of life (UN, 2020). Across the
globe, governments have made revolutionary changes as they plan for and replace old
methods with newer, upgraded ones. In the past decade, technology has been an essential
aspect of digital transformations (DTs), as they enhance processes, improve service models
and significantly impact perceptions about competitiveness.
Henceforth, DT is of strategic importance and is fundamental for modern business
operations (Anderson et al.,2020;Kahre et al.,2017;Klein and Todesco, 2021;Reis et al.,
2016). Fitzgerald et al. (2013) define DTs as the use of new digital technologies and tools to
radically enable major business improvements such as enhanced customer experience and
new business models. As such, DTs go beyond merely digitizing resources and value
creation in digital assets (McDonald and Rowsell-Jones, 2012). Undeniably, DTs are evolving
and are driving at the helm of the digital evolution. The amount of information accessible to
the users has revolutionized the way people and businesses gather information. For
example, mobile technology and the immediate ubiquitous access to information have
changed how people engage with public services. Therefore, public administration
organizations must undergo DTs to remain competitive in-service provision.
DT process focus on efficiency and digital innovation with a focus on enhancing existing
physical products with digital capabilities are both included in DT (Berghaus and Back,
2016). DT is the strategic and prioritized transformation of business activities, processes,
competencies and models to fully leverage the changes and opportunities brought by digital
technologies and their impact across society (Demirkan et al.,2016). Furthermore, digital
technologies are hailed as enablers for ensuring business continuity and assisting in
resolving challenges that arise in the wake of emergencies such as pandemic (Golinelli et al.,
2020), as it keeps people, governments and businesses connected. Therefore, the digital
transition is critical for any institution to stay competitive. Nonetheless, Chou (2018) claims
that the digital readiness of firms is fundamental for them to be able to grow in the digital
era. Thus, successful DT requires an institution to develop a wide range of capabilities
depending on process and operations management changes that consider the unique
challenges of information technology (IT) (Dremel et al., 2017).
Numerous conceptual and theoretical frameworks have been established to obtain
insight into the nature and extent of DTs. However, empirical research on DTs is in its
infancy (Fabac, 2021). This is especially true for studies conducted in developing countries,
where academic interest in DTs is still emerging as such empirical inquiry is lacking.
Furthermore, the DTs that happened during COVID-19 must be examined for their
sustenance and could be considered for continued use in the case of recurring outbreaks over
time or cyclically (Golinelli et al.,2020). Therefore, this study has elicited the sustenance of
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DTs from the Tanzanian perspective necessary for developing theoretical and empirical
foundations in pandemic situations.
The remainder of the paper is as follows. The second section presents the literature,
whereas, in the third section, the methods used to achieve the objective are described. In the
fourth section, the findings and the analyzes are discussed. The fifth section presents the
recommendations. The finalsection ends with pointers for research in the future.
Literature review
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on economies globally, with far-reaching
consequences in various sectors (Deloitte, 2021). Recent estimates show that COVID-19
could push 60 million people into extreme poverty globally, with 27 million people living in
sub-Saharan African countries such as Tanzania (Daniel et al., 2020).
Nevertheless, emerging and developing economies, estimated to have increased by 930
basis points from Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 52.1% in 2019 to 61.4% in 2020, have been
worst affected by the government’sdebt(
Deloitte, 2021). In addition, the recurrence of
lockdowns and slow vaccine rollout has led to movement restrictions and budgetary
pressures across the region. Until June 2021, the pandemic has claimed over 4 million lives
worldwide (Worldometer, 2021). The pandemic is now considered part of the new normal
(Doyle and Conboy, 2020), albeit navigating this new reality is predicted to be complex and
protracted, with full recovery and rebound in 2021 remaining highly questionable. The East
African countries’responses to COVID-19 have been varied, ranging from concrete
containment measures in Kenya and Uganda to more accommodating efforts in Tanzania.
Pandemics have a history of catalyzing enormous change, fundamentally altering how people
make sense of the world (Doyle and Conboy, 2020). Indeed, in the face of lockdowns and
quarantine, access to digital tools has become a necessary condition for full participation in
society and the economy. This has necessitated DT in the public sector. DT is critical to
reactivating the economy and society in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. The colossal challenge
posed by the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed extraordinary innovative efforts on digital
government agencies to develop digital tools for addressing societal challenges. This should be
done to ensure continuity of government operations while adapting various physical distancing
approaches (Bartsch et al.,2020;Burlacu et al., 2021;Doyle and Conboy, 2020).
The adoption of digital technologies to replace or enhance traditional operational
processes and transform services and businesses has emerged as a significant global trend
that presents both opportunities and challenges for the public sector –using the power of
DT (Priyono et al.,2020). Digital transformation can be harnessed in various ways, the most
effective methods being through innovative technologies which enhance the organization’s
overall efficiency and productivity. Thus, technology can take on a transformational role.
Remote working, teleconferencing, distance learning, e-commerce, and even increased
reliance on telemedicine all play a role in what is now commonly known as the “new normal”
(Tabrizi et al.,2019).
The reality of this new normal is that the DTs are no longer an option or an add-on; they
are a necessity in looking forward to meeting a required level of digital maturity (Fletcher
and Griffiths, 2020). Consequently, governments, large and small businesses and even
individual citizensview DTs as a critical issue.
In the aforesaid research contributions, the DTs in Tanzania has not been dealt with
except for a slight reference in the research by Deloitte (2021). The present study contributes
to the extant literature in proving an empirical grounding by soliciting views from the ICT
stakeholders (Chief Information Officers [CIOs] and ICT directors) regarding the DTs
induced by the emergence of COVID-19 and their sustenance. However, performing a cross-
Tanzanian
public sector

country analysis would be too comprehensive for this research (Yin, 2017). Moreover,
different countries have different ways of responding to crises and other contexts and the
level of effects caused by the pandemic, which could influence DT in response to the
pandemic. For these reasons, we focused on one country (Tanzania).
Tanzania’s digital space
Tanzania is undergoing a DT reflected by the growing enabling environment, including
policies, strategies, users’adoption guidelines, regulations and political will. This
profoundly impacts the country’s social, cultural and economic strategies through enhanced
access to essential services and improved productivity across economic sectors. In June
2021, Tanzania launched the Third Five Year Development Plan (FYDP III) to accelerate
progress toward realizing the Tanzania Development Vision (MFP, 2016). The FYDP III
targets transforming Tanzania from a low-productivity agricultural economy to a
knowledge-based, semi-industrialized middle-income economy by 2025. Digital technologies
play an important role in addressing key elements of the development goals. This is
underlined by the National ICT Policy 2016 (URT, 2016), which provides a framework for
the development and growth of the ICT industry to enable it to catalyze socio-economic
development in the country.
The ICT sector contributed around 1.73% to Tanzania’s GDP on average over the past
five years. However, the sector’s average revenue per user decreased by 14.4% between 2019
and 2020 amid subscription volatility brought about by the Tanzania Communication
Regulatory Authority (TCRA’s) mandatory biometric sim card registration that limits
subscribers to a singlesim card each (Deloitte, 2021).
In 2019, mobile money subscribers increased by 6.3%, from 26.5 million in January to
30.6 million in September 2019 (Deloitte, 2021;TCRA, 2020). Moreover, in the wake of
COVID-19, the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) increased mobile daily transaction limits and daily
account balance limits (from TZS 3m to TZS 5m) to encourage cashless transactions
(Tenda and Amreen, 2021). Between January and June 2020, mobile money transaction
value increased by 14.1%, compared to 6.0% in 2019. As a result of the BoT’s promotion of
cashless transactions, total transaction value in 2020 was expected to rise by TZS 3.6tn
(38.3%). It is expected that in 2021, regulatory compliance among telecom operators and
aggressive pricing strategies would attract subscribers, resulting in a 3.5% increase in
mobile subscribers to 50.6 million, up from 2020 (Deloitte, 2021). Furthermore, by 2024, the
transaction value is expected to reach US$216.4bn due to the introduction of
interoperability among telecom firms in the market and an increasing mobile penetration
rate.
It is evident that the mobile telephony industry supports development processes by
improving; economic growth, good governance, productivity in public sectors and access
to essential services (Okeleke, 2019). Undeniably, mobile technology is at the center of
Tanzania’s DT. Mobile services today connect more people in the country than any other
communications technology, with more than 49% of the population subscribing to a
mobile service in 2021 (TCRA, 2021a). However, digital adoption in developing countries
is generally trailing behind many other parts of the world despite the high internet usage.
The relatively poor performance in digital adoption can be traced to many factors,
including the internet’s high cost, uneven quality of service, limited adoption of digital
payments, expensive logistics and a business environment with low levels of competition
(ITU, 2020).
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COVID-19 in Tanzania
Tanzania recorded the first COVID-19 case in March 2020. Since then, the number has risen
to 26,034 cases, including 724 death cases, till October 2021 (WHO, 2021). The country
became the first country in East Africa to open educational institutions in late June 2020,
three months after closure. From February 2021, the government recirculated guidelines
insisting on WHO-recommended approaches and built local capacity to produce personal
protective equipment. The government has also adopted alternative herbal medicines
believed to boost body immunity. Tanzania harbors a rich diversity of valuable herbal
medicines and plans to advance research on alternative remedies against COVID-19
(Mfinanga et al.,2021). The country launched a vaccination programme in June 2021.
Methodology
The data for this study were obtained from literature review and semi-structured interviews
to provide a more comprehensive overview of stakeholders’perspectives in response to
COVID-19 and suggestions for future directions than using a single source. Thus, the
qualitative research method was chosen to deepen the understanding of the topic.
Specifically, it was selected as the most suited approach for exploring and understanding
phenomena and addressing emerging questions (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). Furthermore,
an exploratory case study design was chosen as a suitable design within a qualitative realm
where little is known, and the literature is scarce (Johannesson and Perjons, 2014).
The interview guide was developed following a preliminary review of the related
literature on DTs in the COVID-19 era. The general themes of the interview guide aimed to
comprehend the DT processes that occurred as well as the associated challenges. Before
conducting actual field interviews, a small group of researchers tested the interview guide.
Sampling
The study used an exponential non-discriminative snowball sampling technique where the
formation of a sample population starts with finding one suitable participant. Then the
selected participant refers to other multiple potential research participants, and the chain
continues until an adequate number of participants for the study is obtained. The sample
size of the study was Tanzanian public organizations. The Tanzania e-Government
Authority, a general overseer of ICTs implementation in public organizations, was selected
as a suitable participant to start snowballing. Further, as Streubert and Carpenter (2003)
suggested, the sample sizes of 5–50 participants could reach the saturation point of
qualitative research.
The study enrolled 10 participants from 5 public institutions which pioneered DT. It was
considered a suitable sample size to reach the saturation point. In addition, the targeted
selection of information-rich participants made it easier to reach the saturation point.
Consequently, case studies of public sector actors who provide major services to citizens
were sought better to understand their digital responses to the COVID-19 crisis. As a result,
the Tanzania E-government Authority, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Local
Government Authorities (LGAs), the Parliament Office and the Ministry of Education were
chosen as case studies. It also appeared that the selected actors were a mix of late and early
adopters of ICTs in the Tanzanian public sector; therefore, it was an interesting sample that
constituted a variety of perspectives to understand the phenomenon at hand.
Participants were ICT directors, CIOs and experts who work in IT departments in the
selected public sector actors. In addition, experts included ICT officers, system
administrators, and system developers. Participants of the discussions were purposely
selected due to their role in their respective institutions in the wake of COVID-19. Interviews
Tanzanian
public sector

were conducted between February 2020 and February 2021. Each interview took an average
of 50 min. The interviewees were asked; which types of DTs were induced in their
institutions, in which way, which impediments they noticed during the conversion, which
challenges existed for the change of the business process and sustainability of the shift.
A literature review was carried out to minimize bias and allow results to be generalizable.
Thus, literature about the response of COVID-19 was obtained by searching for journal papers,
conference papers, books, websites, reports, and other information. Databases that were searched
include Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar. In addition, combinations of the terms
COVID-19 response, Institution Digital Transformation, Digital Transformation sustainability,
ICT for the pandemic response, public sector response to the pandemic were used as keywords.
Data analysis
All interviews transcripts were transcribed, and the interviewees were provided with the
opportunity to comment on the transcript to verify the responses’accuracy (Brislin, 1970).
Content analysis was used whereby the segments were created in the transcripts that made
sense from a participant’s perspective. Accordingly, transcript segments were marked with
descriptive words or codes, representing the specific information shared by the interviewees.
Following that, codes mapping was carried out in iterative steps to identify segments with a
high degree of similarity and group the segments together. Axial coding was performed in
the second step, which involved enumerating codes and identifying existing relationships.
The final stage was to select codes for reporting the patterns. All transcripts were loaded
into the NVIVO version 12 software application, which aided coding and analysis.
Table 1 summarizes the results of the interview content analysis with the three axial
categories (derived from the elements of DTs according to (Reis et al., 2016). The coding
frame consists of 17 individual sub-themes across 8 main themes in the 3 thematic
categories. These three thematic categories were used as a reference point to inductively
produce themes and subthemes regarding the nature and scope of the DTs induced by
COVID-19 in Tanzania.
Results and discussions
Digital transformation in the public sector during the COVID-19 pandemic
In this section, the DT in the public sector during the pandemic is presented and discussed,
focusing on the induced sustenance of DT.
Induced digital transformations
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the public sector to adopt new technologies to enable public
servants to work remotely without letting the pandemic affect citizens’provision of public
Table 1.
Results of the content
analysis showing
themes and
subthemes
Categories Theme Sub-theme
Technological Innovation Digital Platform
Trust Privacy
Access Asynchronous, Synchronous
Services Teleconferencing, TV Programme, Web Platform
Social Society Awareness, Digital Divide, ICT literacy
Institutional Resilience Sustenance, Adoption, regulations
Performance Quality, Digital Connectivity
Efficiency Robustness, leadership
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services. In inducing the DT, the e-government Authority (eGA) [1] launched several digital
initiatives such as a video conference platform whereby all public bodies and public
servants can hold high definition and secured video meetings. The platform offers quality,
quick and most importantly, connected public servants, as the different public sector bodies
cover confidential and classified issues. The developed platform (e-mikutano [2]) guarantees
the privacy of sensitive government documents compared to commercial platforms such as
Zoom and the likes. The stakeholders consider this platform a breakthrough in the
digitalization of meetings in the public sector. As one respondent asserted:
We designed and developed teleconferencing platform and facilities to enable meetings within
government departments in Tanzania [...]. It is still in use and it has been a breakthrough for
many reasons (RESP8).
Globally, health and education are primary sectors that were affected heavily by the COVID-
19 pandemic. For instance, in education, the closure of learning institutions negatively
affected education quality and access (Livari et al. 2020;Mhlanga and Moloi, 2020). Thus,
providing education services was not possible without using digital tools due to lockdown
and other restrictions. In Tanzania, the Ministry of Education and other related
departments, particularly the LGAs, coordinated actions that included synchronous and
asynchronous e-learning approaches. In addition, television programmes and Web
platforms were majorly used by secondary and primary education levels students to keep
them up to date with their curricula while staying both physically and mentally healthy. As
one respondent affirmed:
We launched educational TV programme for classes who were to seat for national exams [...].at
some point it helped students to remain in line with the normal curricular (RESP8).
During the COVID-19 pandemic peak, citizens had moved dramatically toward online
platforms. According to TCRA (2019,2020,2021b), internet users have grown from
25,794,560 in June 2019 to 29,152,713 in June 2021.
Moreover, most respondents confirm the rapid shift toward digital channels. For
example, some respondents contended:
The COVID-19 global pandemics has pushed the digital services adoptions to the limits that were
not possible before (RESP3).
The COVID-19 pandemic influenced the mandatory usage of digital services (RESP5).
The Ministry of Health (MoH) established a 24 hours call centre that assisted COVID-19 patients
track and tracing (RESP15).
We used the teleconferencing system to facilitate knowledge and experience sharing between our
healthcare experts and those abroad (RESP4)
The MoH has established an online reservation system for COVID-19 tests that helped in the
administration of tests for travellers (RESP10).
The interviews reveal significant lessons that can be drawn from publicinstitutions’actions.
Among the lessons to be drawn is the importance of learning, both tactically and
institutionally. Tactically institutions focused on making specific changes to processes,
technology selection and development of execution plans. Institutionally, they focused on
managing change at a pace that far exceeds that of prior experiences. Both lessons are
critical for going forward, as the rate of change is not likely to slow down. To keep pace with
Tanzanian
public sector

the dynamics, decision-makers need resilient digital infrastructure. While interacting with
respondents, one ICT officer stated that:
We are used to the new normal brought by COVID-19, but most importantly, we are now
preparing for upcoming challenges (RESP4).
Sustenance of the digital transformation
Nearly all respondents asserted that their organizations had stood up at least temporary
digital solutions to meet many of the new demands on them, and much more quickly than
they had thought possible before the crisis. Regarding the sustenance of the DT,
respondents reiterated that closer attention should be put to revising the digital solutions
developed during the pandemic. The respondents envisage that most of the transformations
can last longer if strategic efforts are put in place. Moreover, there should be a deliberate
effort to bridge the digital divide to sustain and prosper DTs. In such a manner,
governments should strengthen digital literacy and digital connectivity coverage to the
large population. A senior ICT officer said that:
We created things very fast but did not have the time to evaluate their sustenance. It raises the
question of sustainability of the created services beyond COVID-19 pandemic (RESP2).
Principally, technology is not a silver bullet –and to ensure sustenance of the developed
digital tools for COVID-19 response, exemplary leadership and effective, organized
government are crucial. Though it gives leaders options and can buy their countries time,
both of which are immensely valuable, they should not be used unquestionably. Indeed,
operating in a crisis does not remove leaders’practical and moral obligations to act
responsibly. Certainly, without an ethical approach in developing digital systems in the
public sector, it is hard to assure their sustenance. Thus, there should be strategic actions on
reviewing their compliances and alignment to the norms and business process in the public
sector. As one of the respondents argued:
We have to be cautious as we embrace the digital transformation, compliance check is key to
remain on the right track [...] we should not be carried away from the principles (RESP9).
Moreover, efforts on sustaining the DT should be capitalizing on making people part of the
new digital reality. This will ensure inclusion, acceptance, and adoption of digital services
amongst a significant population. Therefore, the government institutions must ensure that
people are aware of the DT and the regulations to balance moving fast and responsible. As
two ICT officers commented:
We shall keep improving the digital solutions amid the lesson drawn from the COVID-19 [...]. We shall
enhance programs for developing the digital literacy skills to people to ensure better outcomes (RESP5).
COVID-19 pushed digital transformation forward significantly, and there should be a plan to
sustain the positive impacts that came with the pandemic (RESP6).
The COVID-19 pandemic proved that transformation could be implemented in a short
period as many countries had overnight solutions developed to react to the pandemic.
However, sustainability is now working ahead, and efforts must be made to ensure that the
new normal lasts.
Generally, the COVID-19 crisis did not significantly change governments digital
priorities; it just highlighted what was lacking anyway, that is not enough reuse and
cooperation. So much could be done with international cooperation and move faster
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nationally. Before the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis, governments had digital strategies
that were inactive or with little implementation. Now governments are rushing into action
but have ignored their plans or recognized them as outdated. Hence, the sustenance of the
COVID-19 triggered DT is questionable.
The findings of this study are comparable to that of Nagel (2020), who found that the
COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in positive changes in people’s perceptions of DTs.
Considering this study was conducted in a developing country (Tanzania), and the Nagel
study included respondents from the USA, Italy, Spain, France, the UK and Germany, the
comparable results are intriguing. However, the Nagel study did not cover the aspects of
DTs sustenance as compared to this study.
The findings can also be compared to Livari et al. (2020), who objectively investigated
DTs in basic education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both research explored the range of
DTs that emerged during the pandemic, but in different contexts, in this study (public sector
contexts) and educational (Livali et al., 2020).
In terms of sustenance, these findings can be compared to those of Winarsih and Fuad
(2021), which explored the impact of COVID-19 on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The study found that COVID-19 can lead to sustainability of SMEs undergoing DT in
contrast to this study which reports the lessons from the DTs induced by COVID-19 in
Tanzanian public sectors.
Recommendations
Digital technologies can be game-changers in the crisis, and therefore more investment in
digital infrastructure, platforms, skills and creating an enabling regulatory environment is
encouraged. However, the use of digital technologies in Tanzania is still below its potential,
with the current digital adoption generally trailing behind many other African countries.
Upgrading and expanding digital infrastructure coverage will introduce fundamental
changes that can shrink digital divide gaps, improve social service delivery, enhance
resilience against shocks and create more economic opportunities.
Businesses, governments, and social-sector institutions can decisively unlock the next
stage of Tanzania’s DT. To this end, the following keynotes are recommended to actions
that leaders and policymakers must keep in mind when considering sustaining the role
technology should play in confronting pandemics similar to COVID-19.
Lean into innovation and experimentation
The cost of a global pandemic is astronomically high; investments that might shorten it
even slightly have a huge expected social return. Therefore, policymakers need to ramp up
support and funding aggressively across the board. This should go in tandem with
accelerating innovative approaches required to back startups and entrepreneurs with ideas
to keep the economy going and safely ease the cascade effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Policymakers must also be prepared to adapt regulation quickly, so that unconventional but
proven solutions to immediate problems should not be held up by unnecessary red tape.
Expand electronic services usability
To increase the usability of e-services, efforts should be vested in upgrading the country’s digital
infrastructure, which is a prerequisite of the digital economy excellence and survival strategy in
pandemics. Thus, there should be an effort in expanding online presence and broaden digital
offerings so that businesses can move fast to meet customers’increased appetite for digital
services. In general, the government should lead by speeding up e-governance projects, such as
Tanzanian
public sector

the ICT legal frameworks identification systems and digitizing its processes, which will help
promote greater inclusion, improve efficiency and enhance security.
Improve legal compliances
The government can reduce the digital divide by lowering regulatory constraints and
barriers to adopting ICT-mediated innovations. It has been noted that efforts to bolster
digital infrastructure in the country are mainly hindered by a stringent legal infrastructure
and digital illiteracy. Consequently, limit the adoption of e-solutions and DT in general.
Therefore, there must be efforts along these lines to pave the way to promote innovation and
increase the smooth adoption of DT. For example, the government can actively foster
policies that lessen digital literacy and create a more conducive business environment for
the digital economy to flourish.
Maximize digital payments
Extending digital payment channels can help countries to mitigate exclusion risks and maximize
the positive impact of COVID-19. Furthermore, the promotion of digital payments and electronic
platforms to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the country’s logistics system will
eventually improve the business environment. In the same line, promoting long-term economic
recovery and resilience will require banks to temporarily relax loan repayment terms for
borrowers to mitigate the rise in non-performing loans. Additionally, mobile money service fees
should be reduced to encourage digital transactions and quicken the digital economy.
Increase public service digitalization
To foster an enabling environment for rapid digitization, governments can help to ensure that all
key enablers are in place to support digital adoption. Furthermore, efforts must be vested toward
bringing the public sector into the digital age. As such, governments can step up the provision of
digital services and information, and harness digital tools to collect, manage and use data to
inform decision-making. They can also enable digitization in society and the economy by using
the crisis as a spur to accelerate the rollout of digital IDs, signatures, and registries inquest to
putting ICT at the center of socio-economic development.
Moreover, there should be efforts toward scaling up digital skills at the core of many
occupations. The government can ensure that training infrastructure is in place for basic
and advanced skills. In addition, investing in digital health ecosystems and innovations in
service delivery will be paramount amid the highlights emanating from the COVID-19.
Furthermore, governments should identify innovative, scalable digital solutions that enable
societies, communities, institutions and individuals to deal with the pandemic’s cascading effects.
Efforts should be directed toward capturing the current innovation impetus and replicating and
scaling up existing innovations in collaboration with a potential stakeholder.
Additionally, to take advantage of digitalization, dedicated efforts should be made to
renovate public services to enroll more people, particularly those from underserved and
underrepresented communities. This can be accomplished by developing new financing
models, multi-stakeholder digital collaboration, carefully targeted actions and innovative,
responsive and adaptable policies and regulations.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial economic disruptions as community restrictions
have limited the movement of people and reduced business operations nationwide and global
scale. This circumstance has fueled DT in coping with the pandemic crisis, moving toward
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economic recovery. Indeed, harnessing digital technologies can help Tanzania overcome the
pandemic’s impact, hastening recovery. However, there is a dire need for collaborative strategies
by public and private sectors to develop long-term aspirations toward adopting digital solutions
and their sustenance. Therefore, it is imperative for governments to regularly analyze and re-
evaluate the state of play to ensure that whatever it takes, their economies are cushioned from the
surging effects of the pandemic.
Undoubtedly, technology has a vital role in response to COVID-19, precisely in
developing tools to cushion the impact on society as the pandemic persists. Thus, the
findings from this study serve as a resource for policymakers and leaders to put technology
at the heart of their strategy. In addition to that, the suitable policy approach concerning
technology could offer an excellent chance to escape the otherwise impossible choice
between saving lives or saving our way of life.
The findings of this study will be helpful for technology professionals, businesses,
policymakers, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) managers and governments to
optimize their DT processes better to prepare their organizations in the presence of
pandemic situations. In addition, the findings provide important hints for future research in
DT sustenance. More empirical research will be needed to provide context-specific issues
confronting the resilience and sustenance of DT. Future works should further advance the
research in the adaptation of DT by NGOs, governmental and business sectors during the
COVID-19 pandemics, particularly in the developing economies.
Furthermore, research may be conducted to examine the technicalities involved in
sustaining DTs to determine the efficacy of the induced transformation for the
stakeholders involved and the general public. Finally, research may be conducted to
understand better the public sector’s preparedness in the face of unforeseeable
emergencies. The study provides valuable insights for public sector scholars and
practitioners. A sustainable IT infrastructure and strong leadership are essential for
successfully implementing a long-term DT in the public sector. Additionally, people
participating in the execution and rollout of the DT may require relevant training. As
governments deploy more computerization and ICT, it would be helpful if the incentive
to evaluate and model the DT will be given top priority.
Notes
1. eGA –The overseer of ICT in the Tanzanian public sector.
2. e-mikutano available at www.mikutano.gov.go.tz
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About the authors
Deo Shao is a lecturer and computer systems architect at the College of Informatics and Virtual
Education at the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. He received a bachelor’s degree in Computer
Science from the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, master’s degree in Computer Science from
Malmo University, Sweden. He holds PhD in Computer Science from the University of Dodoma,
Tanzania. His research interests include semantic data computing, software systems engineering and
e-governance strategies and frameworks.
Hilda Mwangakala is currently a lecturer at the College of Informatics and Virtual Education at the
University of Dodoma, Tanzania. She received her bachelor’s degree in ICT Management in 2007 from
Mzumbe University, Tanzania, and received the master’s degree in e-Government and e-Policy in 2009 from
SungKyunKwan University, South Korea. She holds a PhD in Information Science from Loughborough
University, UK. Her research is the use of ICT to address the existing challenges in the society
Fredrick Ishengoma serves as a lecturer at the College of Informatics and Virtual Education at the
University of Dodoma. He holds a PhD in Information Systems from the University of Dodoma,
Tanzania, a master’s degree in computer and information engineering from Daegu University, South
Korea, and a bachelor’s degree in Information and Communication Technology Management (ICTM)
from Mzumbe University, Tanzania. His research interests include e-Government, m-Government,
social dimensions of ICT and ICT4D. Fredrick Ishengoma is the corresponding author and can be
contacted at: ishengomaf@gmail.com
Hector Mongi received PhD in Information Systems from The University of Dodoma in Tanzania
in 2016 and MSc IT (Management) from Carnegie Mellon University (Australian Campus) in 2007.
Hector is currently serving as a Lecturer in the Department of Information Systems of The University
of Dodoma. His works focus on the relevant evaluation of ICTs, public engagement, usability, ICTs
for sustainability and geographic information systems.
Cesilia Mambile is an assistant lecturer at the University of Dodoma in Tanzania. She graduated with a
Masters in Information and Communication Science and Engineering from Nelson Mandela African
Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) Arusha, Tanzania, in 2019. She holds a bachelor’sdegree
in Information Technology from the Institute of Finance Management Dar es Salaam 2011. Her research
interests are E-marketing, usability in information systems, cyber security and data science.
Frederick Chali received his bachelor’s degree in Information and Communication Technology
Management at Mzumbe University, Tanzania, in 2007 and an MSc in Computer Science at The
University of Dodoma, Tanzania, in 2011. He holds PhD in Information Communication Systems and
Engineering, from Nelson Mandela African Institution for Science and Technology. His area of
research and interests is mobile computing, Web technologies and machine learning.
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