Despite the transformative potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) its benefits in the African public sector remain largely elusive as countries continue to struggle with persistent developmental challenges. This paper explores the disconnect between the 4IR's technological advancements (encompassing artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, etc.), and their tangible impact on alleviating developmental challenges like poverty and inadequate service delivery in African nations. We identify key adoption obstacles hindering the public sector's utilization of 4IR technologies to address these critical issues. By analyzing these barriers, we aim to inform strategies for effective 4IR integration within African public systems and unlock its potential to drive sustainable development across the continent. Inductive in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives from 28 SOEs in Zimbabwe. Deductive thematic ana