Digital transformation and its role in information governance, digital identity and digital sovereignty enhancement in the Algerian Banking Sector – a case Study of Crédit Populaire d'Algérie (CPA)

Abstract

This study analyzes the digital transformation strategy within the Algerian banking sector by integrating four interdependent concepts: information governance, digital identity, digital accountability, and digital sovereignty. A quantitative-led approach with qualitative support was adopted, based on a case study of the CPA Batna branch, combining semi-structured interviews (Legal, Credit, and HR departments), Administered among 12 employees, and a documentary analysis. The results show that the bank possesses operational digital tools, but their integration into a formalized governance framework remains incomplete: the digital strategy is not institutionalized transversally, authentication relies primarily on passwords, technical traceability exists without being accessible to non-IT stakeholders, and the legal department remains structurally excluded from decisions relating to data sovereignty. The study provides an empirical diagnosis of the CPA Batna branch, highly relevant to the Algerian context, along with operational suggestions for both the bank and the regulatory authorities.