Purpose – Since little research has been done on e‐government initiatives in developing countries from a government perspective, this study aims to contribute towards filling this empirical gap. It also comes at a time when Oman, like many other countries in the region are tackling issues related to transformation of public services and transparent government. E‐government is one of the tools in the process of transition.Design/methodology/approach – A theoretically derived and empirically confirmed framework of government motives for implementing e‐government is proposed. This study used a qualitative case study approach with semi‐structured interviews as the main tool of data collection and hermeneutics as the technique for data analysis. Empirical investigation was preceded by a content analysis of research and public official artefacts relating to motivation for engagement with e‐government in 70 developing countries. Identified motives were categorised through the lenses of institutional theory, info...