Nasarawa Pilots Digital Platform To Deepen Grassroots Transparency

Nasarawa State has emerged as the pilot state for a nationwide digital transparency initiative designed to open up the finances and operations of local governments to public scrutiny.

Governor Abdullahi Sule on Thursday flagged off the programme in Lafia for the state’s 13 local government areas, under the theme: “Deepening Transparency and Accountability at the Grassroots Through Digital Disclosure.”

The initiative is jointly developed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Speaking at the launch, Governor Sule said the dedicated websites for each council would give citizens direct access to information on allocations, expenditure, procurement and projects, making it difficult for any council to deny receipt of funds already paid into its account.

He described the initiative as a critical accountability mechanism, particularly in the wake of financial autonomy granted to local governments.

“The essence of this is transparency. When citizens can see what comes to their local government and what it is spent on, it becomes very difficult for anyone to manipulate the system,” the governor said.
Sule Wants State Government Included

Governor Sule went further to offer to extend the digital disclosure initiative to the state government itself, to enable citizens to track public funds from the state to the local government level.

“Sometimes, the money that is supposed to go to the local governments comes through the state, and there could be inconsistencies. It is important that the state also joins this process so that everybody is on the same page for transparency and accountability,” he said.

He designated the Nasarawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency (NASITDA) as the state’s technical coordinator, with a mandate to work closely with ICPC and NITDA on the deployment of the websites, training of

council personnel, regular updates and data security.

The governor charged local government chairmen to take personal responsibility for the accuracy and regular publication of information on the platforms, stressing that their usefulness would depend entirely on how effectively they are maintained.

He noted that local governments in the state were increasingly undertaking major development projects, paying full salaries and implementing promotions. He also disclosed that gratuities covering the period from 1996 to 2012 had been paid in full.

Why Nasarawa Was Chosen

Earlier in his address, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said Nasarawa was selected for the pilot following its performance in transparency and openness among local governments in the country.

Abdullahi explained that the initiative would improve governance, promote citizen participation and create economic opportunities by bringing public services online.

According to him, the websites would serve as interactive platforms where citizens can access information on government allocations and projects, submit complaints and engage their councils.

He said NITDA would provide technical standards, website templates and training, while encouraging local governments to engage indigenous digital talents to develop and maintain the platforms.

The NITDA boss added that the initiative would eventually be extended to all 774 local government areas across the country.

ICPC: Prevention, Not Witch-Hunt

In his remarks, the Chairman of ICPC, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, said the project was designed as a preventive measure against corruption by making government activities and financial records accessible to the public.

He disclosed that the Commission had recovered more than N5 billion from its pilot examination of the financial records of selected local governments, underscoring the urgent need for stronger accountability at the grassroots.

Aliyu said the websites would cover council finances, budgets, procurement, staff recruitment, citizen engagement and anti-corruption measures.

He emphasised that the platforms were not intended to witch-hunt local government officials but to promote openness and protect public resources.

“The goal is prevention. When information is public, the temptation and opportunity to divert public funds are greatly reduced,” he said.

Royal Endorsement, SSG’s Charge

The Emir of Lafia, HRH Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad I, commended ICPC and NITDA for selecting Nasarawa as the pilot state and expressed hope that the initiative would be sustained by succeeding administrations.

In his welcome address, the Secretary to the State Government, Labaran Shuaibu Magaji, SAN, urged local government officials to support the initiative and ensure its successful implementation, noting that the experience gained in Nasarawa would guide its expansion to other states.

The launch marks a significant step in Nigeria’s efforts to entrench transparency at the third tier of government, with Nasarawa now serving as the model for nationwide replication.