Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Readiness and Adoption Conditions in SADC Public Sectors: Infrastructure, Policy, and Capacity Barriers

Software as a Service (SaaS) has emerged as a key enabler of digital transformation and e-government modernization, enabling scalable, flexible, and cost-effective public service delivery. However, evidence on SaaS readiness and adoption conditions in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) public sectors remains limited and uneven. This study systematically reviews literature published between 2015 and 2025 on SaaS readiness, adoption conditions, digital readiness, infrastructure, policy environments, and institutional capacity across SADC member states. Using PRISMA-guided screening, 31 studies were synthesized through narrative thematic analysis informed by the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework and Institutional Theory. The review identified substantial disparities in SaaS readiness across the region. South Africa is the only country with substantial empirical evidence of public-sector SaaS readiness and adoption conditions, while most member states demonstrate only indirect indicators of readiness, including ICT maturity and e-government development. The synthesis identified four recurring readiness barriers: infrastructure deficits, policy and regulatory fragmentation, institutional capacity constraints, and uneven regional readiness. The findings suggest the presence of a “readiness paradox,” whereby stricter data sovereignty regulations coexist with inadequate infrastructure for compliant SaaS deployment. The review proposes a contextualized framework for strengthening SaaS readiness and enabling adoption in SADC public sectors.