Open Data Initiatives and Governance Transparency in Malawi: A Systematic Literature Review

Open data initiatives have gained traction as a means to enhance transparency and accountability in governance, particularly in developing countries where traditional reporting mechanisms are often opaque or non-transparent. The review employed a comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science) to identify relevant literature published between and . A two-stage screening process was applied: initial screening based on title and abstract followed by full-text review. The findings indicate that while open data initiatives have the potential to significantly improve governance transparency, their implementation is often hindered by issues such as data quality, stakeholder engagement, and policy diffusion. A key theme emerged regarding the need for stronger institutional support and harmonization of data standards across different sectors. Open data initiatives hold promise in fostering a more transparent governance environment in Malawi, but require concerted efforts to overcome existing challenges. To maximise the impact of open data initiatives, there is a need for enhanced collaboration between government agencies and civil society organizations. Additionally, robust institutional support and standardization of data collection practices are essential for effective implementation. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.