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Al-Zuwaini S.S.M., Panikarova S.V.
Institutional barriers to digitalization of municipal services in Iraq
Keywords: digital transformation, municipal services, e-government, Iraq, barriers to digitalization, IT infrastructure, digital literacy
Digital transformation of municipal services is a critically important aspect of modernising the public sector in post-conflict states. Despite its considerable economic potential and strategic initiatives in the field of e-government, Iraq lags significantly behind regional leaders. The launch of the national ‘Ur’ portal, offering over 1,000 services, and regional platforms such as ‘Baghdaduna’ in Baghdad demonstrates a political commitment to digitalisation. At the same time, the process of digital transformation in Iraq’s municipal sector is hampered by institutional barriers, and a systematic academic analysis of these is necessary to develop effective strategies for overcoming them. The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the institutional barriers to the digital transformation of municipal service delivery in the Republic of Iraq and to develop strategic recommendations for overcoming them. Materials and methods. The empirical study was conducted between October 2024 and March 2025 in 15 major cities of Iraq, including Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, Karbala, Najaf, and others. The methodological framework was based on an interdisciplinary approach that integrates tools from the fields of public administration, information systems and organisational development. The study included a survey of 200 municipal employees at various levels and a survey of 500 citizens aged 18 to 65 years. Results. The findings of the study revealed significant differences in the way various stakeholders perceive the barriers to digitalisation. The survey of 200 municipal employees showed that the most critical obstacles are technological barriers (average score 3.85), financial barriers (4.18) and information security barriers (4.12). Outdated IT infrastructure, chronic underfunding, and cybersecurity threats form the "triad of critical constraints for digital transformation. A parallel survey of 500 citizens demonstrated an even more critical perception of barriers, with an average score of 3.99 versus 3.77 for employees. Financial barriers (4.32), technological (4.22) and information security barriers (4.21) were the most critical for the population. A comparative analysis revealed significant discrepancies: the largest gap is observed in the assessment of regulatory (3.98 for citizens versus 3.76 for employees) and competence barriers (3.67 versus 3.17). The fact that 72.5% of citizens’ assessments fall into the ‘high’ and ‘critical’ barrier categories points to the systemic nature of these obstacles and the risk that social inequality will be exacerbated by the digital exclusion of a significant proportion of the population. Conclusions. The study of institutional barriers to digitalization of municipal services in Iraq revealed a complex nature of obstacles to digital transformation in a post-conflict society. The dominance of financial, technological and information security barriers over psychological and cultural ones refutes the notion of staff resistance as the main obstacle to digitalization in developing countries. The revealed discrepancies in the perception of barriers by municipal employees and citizens indicate a gap between the administrative logic of digitalization and user experience. A crucial conclusion is the risk that social inequality will deepen when digitalisation becomes a mechanism for creating a ‘digital divide’ rather than a tool for democratising access to public services. The results of the study form the basis for the development of inclusive digital transformation strategies that take into account the material constraints and real opportunities of various groups of stakeholders.
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About authors
- Al-Zuwaini Saif S.M.
- Applicant for the Degree of Candidate of Economic Sciences, Department of Regional Economics, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Russia, Ekaterinburg (saifsaheb99@gmail.com; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3116-8362)
- Panikarova Svetlana V.
- Doctor of Economics Sciences, Professor, Department of Regional Economics, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Russia, Ekaterinburg (S.V.Panikarova@urfu.ru; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4754-2213)
Article link
Al-Zuwaini S.S.M., Panikarova S.V. Institutional barriers to digitalization of municipal services in Iraq [Electronic resource] // Oeconomia et Jus. – 2026. – №2. P. 1-12. – URL: https://oecomia-et-jus.ru/en/single/2026/2/1/. DOI: 10.47026/2499-9636-2026-2-1-12.
