Across Africa’s small and medium-sized accountancy practices, tech adoption rarely follows a single path. Some practitioners are pushing ahead with AI, automation and data tools, while others are cautiously experimenting or waiting for solutions to prove their value. What unites them, though, is a growing recognition that technology is no longer simply a convenience. For many, it is becoming essential to staying competitive.
For Adeniyi Bamgboye FCCA, managing partner of Empyrean Professional Services in Nigeria, caution has long been the norm. ‘The general stance among small firms is cautious observation,’ he explains, adding that resource constraints and unreliable platforms have encouraged scepticism. Rather than rushing to adopt new tools, many firms monitor which technologies prove stable and compliant before integrating them into their workflow.
‘It’s shifted our role to where the real value lies’
Pushing boundaries
Some practitioners, though, are already embracing a much more advanced technology stack. Habtom Araya Bahta ACCA, a sole practitioner in Ethiopia, uses cloud platforms, data analytics tools and AI to manage his practice efficiently. Using Google Colab, he automates tasks such as data cleaning and bank reconciliation, while content generation tools such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek support financial planning, technical research and report preparation. The result, he says, is a significant improvement in speed and accuracy compared with manual processes.
Similarly forward-leaning is Farooq Ronnie Shumba FCCA, owner of FRS Accountants in South Africa. His firm layers automation and AI tools over traditional accounting platforms to streamline workflows. ‘What used to take multiple review cycles can now be drafted quickly and then refined professionally,’ he says. ‘It’s shifted our role from creator to reviewer and adviser, which is where the real value lies.’
His firm uses AI tools for drafting client correspondence, researching technical questions and assisting with business plans. The next step, he says, is the development of a digital onboarding system with a chatbot to guide new clients.
Process perfecter
Technology adoption increasingly extends beyond accounting platforms into operational efficiency. At KFN International in Zimbabwe, partner Farai M Musara FCCA says the firm has implemented several technologies to automate internal processes. Biometric access systems track staff attendance, while time management tools record staff effort across client engagements.
Tech also plays a growing role in audit work. Musara says big data analysis tools are helping the firm interrogate large datasets from financial services clients, improving their understanding of internal systems and controls.
‘The gap between us and a Big Four is smaller when you use AI’
For some, AI is rapidly becoming a productivity accelerator. Suresh Naidoo, CEO of Accensis in South Africa, says AI has already transformed many processes within his firm, with automated payroll, document management and leave administration eliminating paper entirely. AI tools such as Copilot and ChatGPT are now used to draft correspondence and support technical research.
‘The reality is it’s a leveller,’ he says. ‘The gap between us and a Big Four is smaller when you use AI.’
Naidoo’s firm has even developed its own internal AI bot that allows staff to query company policies and procedures. New employees can ask the system questions about processes and receive instant guidance.
The pragmatists
In Mauritius, Ishrat Moollan FCCA, partner at Moollan and Moollan, says her firm has already automated payroll and internal billing and uses cloud tools for client work. However, AI adoption remains under evaluation.
‘We’re currently working with our IT consultant to assess how AI and other technologies could be integrated across the firm’s operations,’ she says, adding that the final decision will depend on cost and practical implementation.
This measured approach reflects the reality for many small firms, where investment decisions must be carefully balanced against tight budgets.
‘Constant technological evolution requires continual investment’
Cost barrier
In Nigeria, Bamgboye says that subscription-based software can become prohibitively expensive as a result of currency fluctuations. Firms therefore prioritise tech investments that clearly reduce manual work or regulatory risk.
‘The decision to purchase software is justified only if it significantly reduces billable hours spent on manual tasks or directly mitigates the risk of regulatory penalties,’ he says.
Similarly, in Zimbabwe, Musara stresses that constant technological evolution requires continual investment, making adoption costly for smaller practices.
Even early adopters recognise the financial realities. Brenda Morin FCCA, founder of BGM Accountants, says her firm has long embraced technology but must still evaluate new tools carefully. She believes AI could transform accounting and auditing but that affordability will ultimately determine how quickly smaller firms implement it.
‘The tech must be aligned with how the business actually operates’
Inevitable shift
For Chandan Kumar Sharma ACCA, co-founder of StratRisk Consulting in Kenya, a key challenge is not simply adopting technology but understanding how to integrate it with financial logic and business processes.
He argues that many companies implement sophisticated systems but still rely on spreadsheets or manual analysis because the technology is not aligned with how the business actually operates. In his work advising SMEs, he often helps bridge this gap between financial expertise and technology implementation.
This integration challenge may explain why adoption among smaller firms often progresses in stages rather than through a big-bang digital transformation.
The road ahead
Most expect tech adoption to accelerate, particularly as AI tools become more affordable and easier to integrate. The real opportunity, therefore, may lie not only in improving internal efficiency but also in expanding advisory services. As automation handles routine tasks, practitioners can focus more on data interpretation, strategy and client support.
The trajectory across Africa’s small practices appears clear. While adoption speeds vary, technology is steadily reshaping how firms operate. And for those willing to experiment, the rewards could be significant. As Shumba puts it: ‘If you don’t invest, you fall behind.’
