<p>Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have gained significant attention due to their potential for efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly renewable energy harvesting. However, charge recombination and electron trapping at the photoanode/electrolyte interface significantly hinder its efficiency. This paper presents a systematic review of the impact of surface treatments on electron transport and recombination in DSSC plasmonic photoanodes. The study attempts to develop a more comprehensive concept of analyzing the influence of surface passivation via pre-post and pre-post (dual) treatment of plasmonic photoanode in improving the efficiency of DSSC. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyzes (PRISMA) is used as a guideline for this systematic literature review to collect data. The selected journal time frame is from 2005 to 2024, with 25 chosen articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Analysis of the selected primary studies reveals the impact of surface treatments on electron transport and recombination in DSSC plasmonic photoanodes. Studies related to the efficiency of DSSC are limited in terms of surface treatment of plasmonic photoanodes. This paper showed that the chemical treatment method using TiCl₄ has positive effects on electron mobility, recombination reduction and overall device performance. It is notable that the efficiency metrics reported for plasmonic photoanodes vary significantly with the study incorporating plasmonic metals reporting the highest efficiency of 10.9% using the dual treatment process.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>