In December 2024, the National Bureau of Statistics announced that its website had been compromised, warning Nigerians not to trust any data or reports published on the platform.
Since then, the site has remained unstable, alternating between periods of downtime and limited access and disrupting critical planning for businesses, researchers, and policymakers across the country.
Although technology has steadily gained mainstream adoption in Nigeria, its impact on government services has been slow and uneven. But that’s beginning to change. A new generation of innovators is emerging, building technology-driven solutions aimed at improving how public goods are delivered and how citizens engage with the state.
In this article, we spotlight five Nigerian startups that are reimagining government through technology.
My Oyo
Since 2019, the My Oyo app has provided residents of Oyo State with a direct line to the government, allowing them to report local issues in real time.
When a resident submits a report through the app, notifications are sent to relevant government agencies and other users in the area. Users are also updated when their reports are viewed or resolved by the authorities
In addition to facilitating citizen reports, My Oyo functions as a communication tool for government agencies, enabling them to send push notifications and public announcements directly to residents.
Govspend
In a country where opacity often clouds public finance, Govspend answers a simple question: where does government money go?
Built by BudgIT, the platform gives citizens easy access to detailed data on government spending, with a particular focus on payments made by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) through the federal government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA).
Using information obtained from the Open Treasury Portal, Govspend breaks down complex financial data into a user-friendly format that allows anyone from journalists to everyday citizens to search, analyse, and question government expenditures.
Whether it’s multi-million naira contracts, suspicious transfers, or routine operational costs, Govspend helps users follow the money in real time and spot red flags. Beyond data, the platform fuels accountability by enabling civic actors to investigate and call out questionable payments.
Tracka
Tracka, another project by BudgIT, is a citizen-driven platform that enables Nigerians to monitor the implementation of public projects and demand accountability from elected officials. Focused primarily on budget tracking, Tracka allows users to access detailed information about government allocations and report on their status.
By combining budget data with grassroots engagement, Tracka empowers citizens to verify whether promised projects are being delivered, raise red flags when funds are misused, and engage lawmakers and agencies responsible for implementation.
Udeme Africa
Udeme Africa is a platform focused on promoting transparency and accountability in the execution of government projects across Nigeria. Built by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), the platform allows citizens to track public projects, especially those funded by the federal government, and report on their progress, status, or neglect.
Through on-the-ground verification, crowdsourced updates, and investigative reporting, Udeme helps shine a light on how public funds are being used (or misused). The platform also serves as a valuable resource for journalists, activists, and researchers working to hold government institutions accountable.
Uzabe
Uzabe is an election monitoring and real-time situational awareness tool developed by Connected Development (CODE) to promote transparency and credibility in Nigeria’s electoral process. Designed to support civil society organisations, observers, and the general public, Uzabe collects, maps, and visualises live reports from polling units across the country during elections.
The platform enables users to submit on-the-ground updates ranging from voter turnout and logistical issues to incidents of violence or irregularities. These reports are aggregated and displayed on an interactive map, offering a nationwide snapshot of election conditions as they unfold.
Uzabe was previously deployed for the 2015 and 2019 general elections in Nigeria and has been used for election monitoring in Kenya and the United States.
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