TITLE:
Beyond Rhetoric: An Analysis of the Structural Obstacles to the Digital Transformation of Cameroonian Local Authorities
AUTHORS:
Jean Zoa
KEYWORDS:
Digital Transformation, ICT4D, E-Government, Local Government, Structural Barriers, Decentralization
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Computer and Communications,
Vol.14 No.3,
March
31,
2026
ABSTRACT: The digital transformation of Cameroonian local authorities is regularly presented as a strategic lever for administrative modernization, improved public services, and strengthened citizen participation. However, beyond institutional rhetoric and stated strategies, results remain limited and fragmented. This article offers a critical analysis of the structural obstacles hindering this transformation, drawing on a comprehensive review of the international literature on e-government, ICTs for development, and public governance in developing countries. The study highlights a complex network of infrastructural, financial, organizational, institutional, socio-cultural, and legal constraints. It demonstrates that weak digital infrastructure, the budgetary dependence of local authorities, skills gaps, fragmented initiatives, and insufficient multi-level coordination constitute major obstacles to territorial digital transformation. These factors are exacerbated by the digital divide among citizens, the persistence of informal practices, and a regulatory framework that remains only partially operational. Drawing on international comparisons and documented African experiences, we propose strategic pathways based on a progressive, contextual, and systemic approach. This approach advocates the gradual construction of a territorial digital ecosystem integrating basic infrastructure, local capacity building, coordinated governance, and citizen ownership. The analysis concludes that the digital transformation of Cameroonian local authorities cannot succeed without structural reform that links political leadership, financial viability, and innovation tailored to local realities.