PublicDisclosureAuthorized PublicDisclosureAuthorized PublicDisclosureAuthorized PublicDisclosureAuthorized GOVERNANCEANDTHEDIGITALECONOMYINAFRICATECHNICALBACKGROUNDPAPERSERIES CorporateGovernanceandTransparencyofState-Owned andState-LinkedDigitalEnterprisesinAfrica Copyright©2023TheWorldBank1818HStreetNW WashingtonDC20433 Telephone:202-473-1000Internet:www.worldbank.org Disclaimer ThisworkisaproductofthestaffofTheWorldBank.Thefindings,interpretations,andconclusionsexpressedinthisworkdonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofTheWorldBank,itsBoardofExecutiveDirectors,orthegovernmentstheyrepresent. RightsandPermissions Thematerialinthisworkissubjecttocopyright.Anyqueriesonrightsandlicenses,includingsubsidiaryrights,shouldbeaddressedto: OfficeofthePublisherTheWorldBank 1818HStreetNWWashington,DC20433USA Fax:202-522-2422 E-mail:pubrights@worldbank.org ThisBackgroundNotewaspreparedbyPascalJaupart(Economist)andTaniaBegazo(SeniorEconomist).BackgroundworkfortheanalysiswascarriedoutbyHanneloreNiesten,AbdoulayeSinguyNdong,andSarahHoullier.SarahHoulliercontributedtothepreparationofthisnote. TheBackgroundNotebenefitedimmenselyfromtheparticipation,assistance,andinsightsfromotherexperts.TheteamisespeciallygratefulforthefeedbackprovidedbythegovernanceexpertsfromtheEFI’sSOEworkinggroup(NataliaManuilova,KjetilHansenandHenriFortin)ontheunderlyingquestionnaireusedtocollectthedataanalyzedinthisnoteandthepeerreviewersHenriFortin,LeadFinancialManagementSpecialist,GovernancePracticeGroup,TimKelly,LeadDigitalDevelopmentSpecialist,DigitalDevelopmentGlobalPractice,JanaKunicova,SeniorPublicSectorSpecialist,andotherWorldBankcolleaguesthatcontributedtotheQualityEnhancementReviewprocess.TheteamwishestoacknowledgethebackgroundworkconductedbyCoulson–HarneyandPegasusConsultingtocollectinformationongovernanceofstate-ownedenterprisesandstate-linkedenterprisesinthetelecomsectoracross20countriesinAfrica.TheteamalsothanksAnaRuival,consultant,forsupportinpreparingthisnote. Thissectionexplainsthecommontermsandabbreviationsusedinthispaper. Abbreviation/Term FullTerminology/Definition CEO ChiefExecutiveOfficer FE Fixedeffects ICT InformationandCommunicationsTechnology iSOEF WorldBankIntegratedState-OwnedEnterprisesFramework KPIs Keyperformanceindicators MT MauritiusTelecomLtd OLS Ordinaryleastsquares SAI SupremeAuditInstitution SLE State-LinkedEnterprise SOE State-OwnedEnterprise SITA SouthAfricaStateInformationTechnologyAgency WDI WorldDevelopmentIndicators WGI WorldwideGovernanceIndicators 1.Introduction1 2.CorporategovernanceofdigitalSOEsandSLEs3 2.1.Dataandmethodology4 2.2.Legalframework5 2.3.Ownershiparrangements7 2.4.Performancemonitoring9 2.5.Corporategovernancerelatedcodes12 2.6.Boardsofdirectors13 2.7.Externalaudits21 2.8.Anticorruptionandintegrity22 2.9.Conclusion24 3.Onlinetransparencyanddisclosure25 3.1.Dataandmethodology25 3.2.Onlinepresence27 3.3.Corporategovernanceandperformanceinformationdisclosedonline27 3.4.Keycorporategovernancedocumentspublishedonline31 3.5.Regionaldifferences32 3.6.Institutionsandtransparency33 3.7.Conclusion35 4.References36 5.Appendix37 Appendix1.1–ListofdigitalSOEsandSLEscoveredinSection137 Appendix1.2–Corporategovernancequestionnaireforthedigitalsector38 Appendix1.3–ListofcontributorstocompletetheSOE/SLEquestionnaire1 Appendix2.1–Transparencyanddisclosurequestionnaire5 Appendix2.2–Datacollectionmethodology7 ListofFigures Figure2.1.Ownershiprights9 Figure2.2.Mandatesandobjectives10 Figure2.3.Performancemonitoring11 Figure2.4.Corporategovernancerelatedcodes12 Figure2.5.Boardmemberappointments14 Figure2.6.Minimumqualifications15 Figure2.7.Dismissal16 Figure2.8.Boardcomposition17 Figure2.9.BoardChairandCEOpositions18 Figure2.10.Conflictsofinterest19 Figure2.11.Boardcommittees20 Figure2.12.Externalaudits22 Figure2.13.Antibriberylaws23 Figure2.14.StatefinancialsupporttoSOEs24 Figure3.1.DigitalSOE-SLEsinAfrica27 Figure3.2.AmountofcorporategovernanceinformationprovidedbydigitalSOE-SLEs28 Figure3.3.Corporategovernanceandperformanceinformationdisclosed(percentageofSOEsandSLEs) ....................................................................................................................................................................30 Figure3.4.CountryaverageSOE-SLEtransparency(%of14corporategovernanceandperformanceitemscovered)31 Figure3.5.Corporategovernancedocumentspublishedonline32 Figure3.6.HeterogeneityacrossAfricanregions33 ListofTables Table2.1.Countriescovered5 Table2.2.Legalframework6 Table2.3LegalformofSOEsandSLEs6 Table3.1.Areascoveredbythecorporategovernancequestionnaire26 Table3.2.Standardcompanydocumentsconsidered26 Table3.3.InstitutionsandTransparency–part134 Table3.4:InstitutionsandTransparency–part235 Table5.1.Companylist37 ListofBoxes Box2.1.Multiplelegalbases-SouthAfricaBroadbandInfracoState-OwnedCorporation(SOC)7 Box2.2.ConfusionofOwnershipandPolicy-makingandRegulatoryFunctions:TanzaniaTelecommunicationsCorporationLtd(TTCL)9 Box2.3.AnnualPerformancePlan:SouthAfricaStateInformationTechnology