Drivers of E-Government Adoption in Emerging Economies: A Meta-Analysis of Technology Acceptance and Service Quality Pathways

E-government adoption rates in emerging economies remain persistently low despite substantial infrastructure investments. Understanding adoption drivers requires synthesizing fragmented empirical evidence on technology acceptance and service quality factors across diverse contexts. Purpose: This study aimed to quantify relationships between (a) perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, (b) perceived usefulness and behavioral intention, and (c) service quality and user satisfaction in emerging economy e-government contexts. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we systematically searched Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (January 2021–October 2024) for peer-reviewed studies reporting standardized path coefficients from structural equation models examining e-government adoption in emerging economies. Two independent reviewers screened 191 records; 15 studies (23 effect sizes; 6732 participants across 10 countries) met inclusion criteria. Three separate random-effects meta-analyses using restricted maximum likelihood estimation assessed pooled effects, heterogeneity, publication bias, and sensitivity to influential observations. Results: Perceived ease of use strongly predicted perceived usefulness (β = 0.385, k = 7, N = 2516), perceived usefulness moderately predicted behavioral intention (β = 0.289, k = 10, N = 3846), and service quality predicted user satisfaction (β = 0.261, k = 6, N = 3151). All effects were statistically significant ( p < 0.001) with substantial heterogeneity across studies, and sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness. All prediction intervals remained entirely positive, and sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness. Conclusions: Technology acceptance and service quality constructs consistently predict e-government adoption in emerging economies, though effect sizes are attenuated compared to developed-country benchmarks. The systematic heterogeneity gradient (I 2 : 89.5%→69.5%→58.4%) indicates that technology acceptance constructs require greater contextual adaptation than service quality dimensions. Policymakers should prioritize interface simplification and address ecosystem barriers to connectivity, digital literacy, and institutional trust alongside system design.