Businesses and government leaders are urged to rethink governance and accountability through an African lens in the digital era.
The call was made by Tumi Dlamini, advisor at African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and CEO of the Organisation for Global Africa Cooperation, at the ITWeb Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) event last week.
Delivering her presentation: “Leadership accountability as the cornerstone of ethical and sustainable governance in the digital era”, Dlamini challenged delegates to question whether the traditional models of governance still hold in today’s rapidly changing technological landscape. “We are living in one of the most volatile times in recent history. So when we speak about governance and ethical leadership, we must ask ourselves if the frameworks we’ve always relied on are still fit for purpose in this digital era.”
Her address focused on promoting sustainable, values-based governance models that bridge traditional corporate principles with the realities of Africa’s socio-economic and digital transformation. Drawing from her work across the continent through the APRM, she noted that only 21 of Africa’s 55 countries currently have corporate governance frameworks in place.
“South Africa is a unicorn on the continent. We’ve advanced further than most African countries in terms of governance, but we must also recognise our responsibility to help build governance systems that are relevant and sustainable for Africa as a whole.”
She emphasised that governance is not limited to corporate structures, but rather sits at the heart of economic systems, serving as the interface between the private sector, the public sector and society at large. “Good governance is the bridge between capital markets, employees, executives and citizens,” she explained.
According to Dlamini, sustainable governance requires leaders to merge traditional governance principles of transparency, accountability and responsibility with sustainability goals centred on environmental protection, social equity and long-term viability.
“In this era, leaders must be accountable not only for profit but also for purpose,” she stressed. “We must start to view innovation, artificial intelligence and digital tools through the lens of human needs, asking how these technologies can help solve social challenges, not just improve corporate efficiency.”
She urged executives and policymakers to collaborate across departments, particularly with IT and compliance teams, to ensure technology is used responsibly and inclusively. “Your digital systems shape economies and societies. It is your duty to align technology use with ethics, inclusivity and sustainability.”
Dlamini introduced delegates to the African principles and guidelines on corporate governance, developed by the African Union and the APRM to ensure that governance frameworks reflect African realities rather than imported Western models.
“For decades, our policies have been borrowed from other parts of the world. But it’s time to design governance systems that are place-based, rooted in the culture, values and social contexts of our countries.”
She highlighted that traditional Western governance models were built for “highly sophisticated commercial environments that do not always exist in Africa”. Instead, she called for mission-oriented and values-based governance, frameworks that begin with defining the purpose and societal role of an organisation before focusing on compliance.
“Tick-box compliance no longer works. Governance must be people-centred, ethical and driven by shared purpose, not paperwork,” Dlamini said.
To illustrate her point, Dlamini shared an experience from her governance evaluation work in Liberia, where a lack of digital infrastructure and governance systems allowed deforestation and corruption to flourish in the timber industry. “There were logs of timber rotting by the roadside because there were no systems to track forest management or ensure accountability,” she recounted. “This is where IT professionals come in, to build systems that bring transparency and protect communities.”
She linked this to a broader message that technology and governance must work hand in hand to address Africa’s most pressing issues, from corruption to inequality and environmental degradation.
Responding to a question on how African governance frameworks can remain “fit for purpose” while aligning with global best practices, Dlamini said the solution lies in blending global standards with local values.
“It’s important to take the best that the world has to offer, but equally important to merge it with what exists on the ground,” she said. “The winning solution is not in imitation, but in integration, understanding your country, its people and its values, while engaging with the global framework.”
Dlamini reminded delegates that sustainability is not only about environmental protection but also about social inclusion. Noting the strong female presence in the room, she said: “We cannot talk about sustainability if 50% of the population, women, are left behind. The ‘S’ in ESG must be given equal weight.”
She concluded with a call to leaders across the continent to embed human rights, ethics and purpose at the centre of corporate and public governance. “If we root our systems in shared values of humanity, transparency and responsibility, then whatever technologies emerge tomorrow will serve not just business, but society.”
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