At the 2024 Technical Conference, AFROSAI-E proudly presented the Recognition of Excellence in Digitalisation Award to the Supreme Audit Institution of Malawi for demonstrating exemplary leadership and commitment to digital transformation through implementing the AFROSAI-E SAI Enhancement Audit Tool (A-SEAT). Under the visionary guidance of the Auditor General, SAI has not only implemented A-SEAT but has also become a regional trailblazer in the use of the tool.
Implementing the A-SEAT audit management system has been a challenging and rewarding journey for our Supreme Audit Institution.
“I have witnessed firsthand the obstacles we faced during the initial pilot phase, including technical difficulties and user resistance” – Mayeso Chembezi.
At the start of the project, our institution faced several hurdles. Users were hesitant to adopt the new system, and significant technical challenges needed to be addressed. However, our project team’s commitment to the initiative’s success remained unwavering. To ensure a smooth transition, we established a Champions Team with representatives from each unit. These champions underwent comprehensive training, enabling them to share their knowledge with their teams. They also provided regular updates on their pilot progress, highlighting challenges and suggesting solutions, which fostered collaborative problem-solving and continuous improvement.
The unwavering support from our management, led by the Auditor General, played a crucial role in the success of this project. Their commitment and leadership ensured the system successfully passed the pilot phase and progressed to a full rollout, a testament to their dedication to enhancing our audit management through technology.
On the technical front, our IT administrators took proactive measures to guarantee system availability and network resilience. They set up virtual machines with adequate backups, ensuring a training environment was maintained, and production system backups were in place. This preparedness minimised downtime in the event of unexpected system failures. Additionally, adequate user support was guaranteed, with a structured escalation process extending to level-three support (AFROSAI-E technical team), ensuring that any technical issues were resolved within 24 hours.
Today, we are proud to say that we have successfully rolled out the system and are conducting all our audit activities within this platform. We remain committed to implementing necessary updates in alignment with the SAI’s operational and methodological advancements.
We extend our sincere gratitude to AFROSAI-E for providing the A-SEAT system at no cost, and to all who contributed to this project, whether directly or indirectly. The successful implementation of this system is a testament to the power of teamwork, dedication, and a shared vision for enhancing audit management through technology.
