Foundation Unveils AI Platforms to Deepen Citizens’ Role in Governance

PROMAD Foundation an NGO, has introduced two artificial intelligence-powered civic technology platforms to address gaps in citizens’ participation, transparency, and accountability in governance, particularly at subnational levels.

The platforms, Follow the Project and Isunawa AI; are designed to enable citizens track public projects, participate in budgeting processes, and contribute to decision-making in their communities.

Speaking in Abuja, at a high-level roundtable involving youth, civil society organisations, and the media, Executive Director of PROMAD, Daisi Omokungbe, said the initiative responds to the growing need for data-driven and people-centered governance in Nigeria.

Omokungbe noted that while some progress has been made at the national level in promoting transparency, efforts remain limited across states and local governments.

“Although there are ongoing efforts at the national level, there is still limited work at the subnational level. We designed Follow the Project to bridge this gap in project monitoring,” he said.

He explained that the platforms are built to empower citizens with real-time access to information, enabling them to hold public officials accountable and ensure that government projects are delivered as planned.

Bridging the Gap

The roundtable, themed “Bridging the Gap: Leveraging Technology for Citizens’ Participation and Development,” was held under the Strengthening Participation, Accountability and Transparency in States (SPATS) programme, supported by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund.

Participants emphasised the importance of leveraging technology to strengthen democratic processes, improve governance outcomes, and foster inclusive development.

Driving Data-Driven Governance

With the introduction of Isunawa AI, the organisation aims to further simplify how citizens interact with governance systems by using artificial intelligence to analyse data, provide insights, and support evidence-based engagement.

The organisation maintains that integrating technology into governance will not only enhance transparency but also rebuild public trust by making government processes more open and participatory

“We started in 2019 at the subnational, tracking budget allocation awards to project implementation, quality, content, location and analysing all the data.

“This is to tell whether a project is abandoned, completed, delayed and whether money were released or nothing was done.”

Omokungbe explained that the second platform, Isunawa AI was derived from a Yoruba phrase meaning “Our Budget,” the platform leverages artificial intelligence to collect community needs and generate data that can inform government spending decisions.

“It is built to collect needs assessment as well as data collection of communities to inform budgeting.Through a simple AI-powered interface, users can register and submit information about the needs of their communities.

“This data is then analysed to identify trends across local governments and states, providing insights that enable authorities to design budgets that reflect actual citizen priorities,” he said

Omokungbe said in addition to data collection, the platform featured an interactive tool known as “Budget AI” which allows citizens to ask questions about public budgets, projects, and governance, thereby improving access to information and promoting transparency.

According to him, the goal is to institutionalise participatory budgeting in at least five to ten states between 2026 and 2030, ensuring that governance becomes more inclusive and responsive.

He said the platforms were created to bridge inclusion gap and enable youths play a part in governance, adding that citizens could access the platforms at https://followtheprojects.org and https://followtheprojects.org/isunawa.

“Civic technology is not just about apps or platforms.It is about redistributing power, enhancing transparency, strengthening accountability, and enabling inclusive, data-driven governance.

He said that in addition to the platforms, PROMAD announced a mini-grant initiative targeting six individuals and six organisations within the youth ecosystem of the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) in the North central region.

“The initiative aimed to support innovative civic solutions and strengthen youth-led engagement in governance.

“Stakeholders from the Federal Government, media and civil society organisations commended PROMAD Foundation for establishing Follow the Project and Isunawa AI, describing them as timely tools to boost youth participation, transparency and inclusive governance.”

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Mr Abdulhalim Shehu, a representative of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), a subsidiary of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), highlighted ongoing federal efforts to support youth-driven innovation and integrate young people into national development processes.

Shehu pointed to the implementation of the Nigerian Startup Act as a key intervention, noting that the law provides a framework for young innovators to register via the Nigerian Startup Portal and access incentives designed to help their ventures grow.

Also speaking, Haruna Godiya, Programmes and Policy Coordinator of LEAP Africa, emphasised the need for structured collaboration between government and young people to unlock their full potential and contribute to national develop.

Godiya called for the creation of accessible channels within government institutions to enable young innovators to engage directly with policymakers for guidance, opportunity and platforms to be heard.

Amina Miango, Programme Manager for the Media in National Elections at Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), called for youth involvement in decision-making or policy development.

Reporting by Angela Atabo