GOVERNANCE AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUCCESS FACTORS FOR DIGITAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Abstract
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is a new instrument that has emerged as a strategic enabler for governance transformation and digitalization in developing countries. Even with substantial investments, many DPI programs don't produce the desired impacts because they suffer from poor governance, poor coordination, inadequate institutional capacity, and poor project management. Stakeholder engagement, risk management, and digital readiness are also critical issues that can further constrain the implementation and service delivery of the problem. The aim of this study is to study and investigate major governance and project management success factors and their connection to the performance of DPI programs in developing countries. The research also seeks to build an understanding of how institutional governance and project implementation practices jointly account for project success. The research design was quantitative research with synthesized study of literature from the last five years (2024-2026) and comparative analysis of studies with DPI implementation. Policies and practice were explored, including characteristics of leadership, policy consistency, stakeholder coordination, readiness of digital infrastructure, and monitoring systems. The major results show that governance quality has the greatest impact on DPI success, with institutional capacity and project management maturity coming in next. Good coordination, clear accountability systems and flexible project implementation techniques can make a huge difference in the success of a project, as well as in minimising project failures. It is concluded that to achieve DPI success, the governance framework needs to be interwoven with project management practices. Digital ecosystems and institutional capacity building in developing countries can have a huge impact on improving the efficiency of public service delivery and sustainability.
