Context. In African public organizations, the quality of recruitment is a major determinant of administrative and institutional performance. However, the professionalization of HR practices remains uneven, particularly in regulatory agencies. This study analyses the link between strategic recruitment and public performance through the case of the French Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP).

Objective. Examine how recruitment practices influence ARCEP’s overall performance and identify the levers for institutionalising more effective, equitable and sustainable human resources management.

Methodology. The study adopts a mixed approach combining a quantitative survey of 100 employees and 10 semi-structured interviews with HR and operational executives. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlations and regressions, enriched by qualitative thematic analysis. The conceptual model is based on resource theory (RBV), institutional theory, and contemporary models of public performance.

Results. The analyses indicate a positive and significant correlation between strategic recruitment and public performance (β > 0.40; p < 0.05). Transparency, profile/job match, and competency-based selection procedures emerge as robust predictors. However, the results show a gap between formal procedures and actual practices, reflecting a partial institutionalization of recruitment. The verbatims confirm the importance of meritocratic criteria, strengthened internal communication and modernized management tools.

Conclusion. Strategic recruitment appears to be a key driver of public performance at ARCEP, but its impact remains limited by institutional and organisational constraints. The study recommends a strengthened formalization of processes, a professionalization of the HR function and a harmonization of practices with international standards.

Contribution. The article enriches the literature on African public management by empirically demonstrating the structuring effect of recruitment on performance. It proposes an analytical framework that can be transferred to other regulatory agencies in the sub-region.