Weak IT Asset Oversight Raises Security, Audit Risks Across Africa

A growing number of organisations across Africa are facing rising financial and operational risks as weak visibility into information technology (IT) assets creates blind spots in cost control, governance and cybersecurity management.

Experts said many firms across the continent still rely on outdated manual systems and static asset registers to track computers, laptops and other digital equipment, despite increasing dependence on distributed workforces and cross-border operations.

While the development has raised concerns that inaccurate asset records are leaving businesses exposed to hidden costs, underutilised equipment and discrepancies between what is recorded in financial statements and the actual assets available for operations.

Analysts noted that as organisations intensify efforts to improve financial discipline and optimise costs amid economic uncertainty, failure to monitor deployed IT assets in real time is emerging as a major governance challenge.

According to experts, the problem is particularly pronounced in Africa where companies often operate across multiple cities, regions and countries, making asset tracking more difficult due to infrastructure limitations and decentralised operations.

Head of asset tracking and management at V-Track, Valene Nagiah, said many organisations mistakenly assume they have full visibility into their IT infrastructure, whereas actual asset control is often based on outdated records.

“This is a silent but significant challenge. Many organisations believe they have asset visibility, but in practice, they are operating on assumptions. In environments where teams are distributed and assets are constantly moving, those assumptions quickly break down,” she said.

Industry stakeholders identified that the lack of continuous monitoring is increasingly linked to avoidable procurement costs, audit compliance issues and elevated cybersecurity risks, particularly where devices move frequently between offices, remote locations and staff.

The challenge comes at a time when African businesses are under pressure to maximise existing capital, delay unnecessary procurement and improve the utilisation of available resources, especially as global economic conditions continue to affect operating costs.

Hence, experts opined that many organisations are now shifting from periodic physical audits to intelligence-driven digital systems that provide real-time verification of asset location, status and utilisation across business units.

Meanwhile, Nagiah noted that IT assets are no longer merely operational tools but strategic financial resources that require active management.

She added that organisations able to maintain real-time visibility over their digital assets are better positioned to reduce waste, improve accountability and strengthen resilience against operational and regulatory risks.