The National Bureau of Statistics in Nigeria faced a major setback in December 2024 when its website was hacked, leading to a warning for the public to distrust any data or reports published on the platform. This incident has had a significant impact on businesses, researchers, and policymakers in the country, as the site has remained unstable with intermittent periods of downtime and limited access.
Despite the challenges faced by government services in Nigeria regarding technology adoption, a new wave of innovators is emerging to revolutionize the sector. These startups are leveraging technology to enhance the delivery of public goods and improve citizen engagement with the state. Here are five Nigerian startups that are reshaping government through innovative solutions:
1. My Oyo: Launched in 2019, the My Oyo app provides residents of Oyo State with a direct channel to report local issues in real-time. The app notifies relevant government agencies and other users in the area when a report is submitted, keeping users updated on the status of their reports and facilitating communication between residents and authorities.
2. Govspend: Developed by BudgIT, Govspend aims to promote transparency in public finance by providing citizens with detailed information on government spending. The platform focuses on payments made by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) through the federal government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA), enabling users to track and analyze government expenditures in real-time.
3. Tracka: Another initiative by BudgIT, Tracka is a citizen-driven platform that allows Nigerians to monitor the implementation of public projects and demand accountability from elected officials. By combining budget data with grassroots engagement, Tracka empowers citizens to verify the progress of promised projects, report misuse of funds, and engage with responsible agencies for project implementation.
4. Udeme Africa: Udeme Africa, developed by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), focuses on promoting transparency and accountability in government projects across Nigeria. The platform allows citizens to track public projects funded by the federal government, report on their status, and highlight any neglect or misuse of public funds through on-the-ground verification and investigative reporting.
5. Uzabe: Uzabe, developed by Connected Development (CODE), is an election monitoring and situational awareness tool designed to enhance transparency in Nigeria’s electoral process. The platform enables users to submit real-time updates from polling units during elections, ranging from voter turnout to incidents of violence or irregularities, which are displayed on an interactive map for public access.
These startups are at the forefront of leveraging technology to transform governance in Nigeria, promoting transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement. To learn more about Nigeria’s most innovative startups, don’t miss the Lagos Startup Expo on the 18th and 19th of June 2025, where cutting-edge solutions will be showcased. Join as an exhibitor or attendee to witness the latest advancements in technology-driven governance solutions.
