Eswatini Auditor-General Urges OAG Staff to Embrace AI and Digital Transformation
The strategy was developed with financial and technical support from the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) and the African Organisation of English-Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E).
Eswatini’s Auditor-General, Timothy Matsebula, has urged staff at the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) to embrace emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), as the institution seeks to strengthen public sector accountability and oversight.
Matsebula made the call during the launch of the OAG Eswatini Strategic Plan 2026–2030 at SibaneSami Hotel, attended by more than 80 officers from audit and corporate services.
He noted that technology is transforming government accounting and auditing processes, making it increasingly important for OAG staff to adapt to changing expectations and use new technologies to improve their work and service delivery.
The Auditor-General also stressed that auditors should look beyond preparing reports and certifying accounts by assessing whether public spending delivers tangible value to citizens and supports better public services.
The Strategic Plan 2026–2030 sets out a roadmap for strengthening public sector accountability, transparency and good governance in Eswatini. Its four key outcomes include strengthening the independence and legal framework of the Supreme Audit Institution, positioning the OAG as a model public institution, enhancing accountability through high-quality audits and maintaining relevance to stakeholders.
The strategy is aligned with international standards and best practices, including INTOSAI principles, and is built around values such as integrity, innovation and collaboration, independence and objectivity, and professionalism.
To drive implementation, the OAG has identified five strategic priorities: strengthening legal and institutional independence, improving audit impact and implementation of recommendations, institutionalising quality management and professional excellence, advancing digital transformation, and building a high-performing and ethical institution.
The strategy was developed with financial and technical support from the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) and the African Organisation of English-Speaking Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E). The OAG plans to present the strategy to Parliament, auditees, accountability bodies and professional partners as implementation progresses.
