Two frontline advocates of digital government in Nigeria, BudgIT Co-founder, Seun Onigbinde and Hamzat Lawal, founder of Follow The Money, have been listed by a global policy platform among the 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government 2019, alongside Amanda Smith of the UK Ministry of Justice and Audrey Tang, Taiwan Minister for Digital.
The policy platform, Apolitical, showcases a global spread of innovative work by celebrating pioneering activists, politicians, civil servants, and academics who are making valuable contributions towards using digital technology to promote good governance globally. It recognises high-profile icons working to raise the profile of digital transformation and illuminates those working behind the scenes whose efforts are driving government into the future.
Hamzat Lawal, an anti-corruption activist who has been listed two years consecutively, says “I am honoured to appear again on Apolitical’s Global List of Influential people, along with other global icons. This recognition indicates the need to do more to drive good governance and eliminate bottlenecks and opacity in government, using technology.”
Lawal’s for, The Money is using mobile and web technology to close the information gap between citizens and government especially in marginalised grassroots communities. Follow The Money and BudgIT are advocating for more States in Nigeria to sign up on the Open Government Partnerships (OGP) as a way of advancing anti-corruption reforms.
“This is another challenge for us to intensify our efforts to promote fiscal transparency and public-sector accountability, as we use creative technology to simplify public information, stimulating a community of active citizens and enabling their right to demand accountability, institutional reforms, efficient service delivery and equitable society,” says Oluseun, adding, “the honour is highly appreciated but the challenge is what matters most.”
Apolitical’s Executive Chairman Lisa Witter, added that “the list celebrates people behind the tremendous progress around digital to solve policy issues and design better services for citizens around the world.” The list was created from 500 nominations from governments, international organisations, and academia, including the UN, Harvard, Public Digital and the IADB.
