…Project aims to deepen grassroots accountability and citizen engagement through technology
Olusegun Ogunkayode
In a bold move to deepen transparency and civic engagement at the grassroots, the Insight Initiative for Community and Social Development has launched the second phase of the Osun Open Local Government Project (OsunOpenLG 2.0) and unveiled a groundbreaking digital tool, a WhatsApp AI Chatbot named “Amoye.”
Addressing journalists in Osogbo at a press conference on Tuesday, 11th November,2025, the Executive Director of the Initiative, Mr. Jare Tiamiyu described the event as “a celebration of vision, resilience and collective commitment to good governance in Osun State.”
He explained that the OsunOpenLG project was conceived to bridge the widening communication gap between citizens and their local government authorities, saying that “local governments are the first point of contact for citizens, yet often the least understood and least transparent.”
“Through OsunOpenLG, we aim to simplify governance, strengthen accountability and make public information accessible to all. Our vision is to make openness a culture, not a campaign,” he said.
The project, which began in 2023 with support from the Nigerian Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) implemented by LEAP Africa, has already recorded measurable impact. According to the Initiative, the first phase trained and deployed 66 community advocates across the state, including six persons with disabilities, who have since become ambassadors of transparency in their local governments.
These advocates, the Executive Director said, engaged residents in markets, schools, mosques, and churches, disseminating governance information and gathering feedback. Data from phase one showed that the Initiative directly engaged over 2,100 people, received feedback from 1,210 citizens, and reached over 2 million residents indirectly through social media and web platforms.
A key milestone of the first phase was the regular publication of FAAC allocations and expenditure data on the project’s website -www.osunopenlg.com, with the aim of helping citizens “follow the monthly allocation” through simplified infographics and charts.
The newly launched phase, OsunOpenLG 2.0, builds on these successes with enhanced features, wider coverage, and the introduction of Amoye, the WhatsApp-based AI Chatbot.
Amoye according to the statement allows citizens to obtain instant answers on civic information such as monthly local government allocations, budgetary details, locations of public services, and contact information for council offices.
“With Amoye, citizens can simply send a message on WhatsApp and get verified answers about local government operations. It is designed to respond in real time to questions like, ‘How much was my local government allocated this month?’ or ‘Where is my council headquarters?’,” the Executive Director explained.
Beyond offering information, Amoye is also designed to facilitate two-way communication, enabling local government authorities to share verified updates directly with the public, a move the Initiative described as “a new frontier for citizen-government dialogue.”
The organisation emphasised that Amoye does not replace human interaction but rather complements the work of its trained advocates by collecting data on citizens’ most common governance concerns, which will guide future policy discussions.
In this new phase, the Initiative plans to expand its training to include local government chairmen, key decision-makers, and their media aides, while maintaining regular publication of financial reports and performance tracking.
“Our goal is to make transparency a culture,” the Executive Director reaffirmed. “We will measure impact, from the number of people who use Amoye to how many councils improve communication with citizens.”
He expressed his profound appreciation to the partners, civil society allies, and the media for their continued collaboration, stressing that OsunOpenLG 2.0 represents a collective mission to make governance more participatory and accountable.
“Together, we can build a state where openness becomes our shared culture, one conversation, one chatbot, and one citizen at a time,” he concluded.
Key Highlights of event include the launching of OsunOpenLG 2.0, expanding transparency efforts across all Osun local governments. Unveiling of “Amoye”, a WhatsApp AI Chatbot for real-time civic information. 66 community advocates trained in first phase, including persons with disabilities. Over 2 million residents reached through online and offline engagements, and Partnership supported by Nigerian Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) and LEAP Africa.
