Abuja: The Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, in collaboration with Meta, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), and local developers, has partnered with Publica Artificial Intelligence (AI) to introduce GovGuide Nigeria. This AI-powered chatbot aims to facilitate easier access to government services for citizens.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the chatbot’s unveiling was marked by a statement from Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, who praised the initiative. Tijani emphasized that the project aligns with the Federal Government’s mission to integrate AI in improving public service delivery. He noted that the use of AI tools in local languages and familiar platforms would boost accessibility and citizen engagement.
Tijani stated, “The GovGuide initiative reflects our commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence to make government services and information more accessible and responsive to the needs of Nigerians. By deploying AI-powered tools in local languages and on platforms people already use daily, we are improving access to public services and also strengthening transparency, trust, and citizen engagement.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that GovGuide Nigeria is designed to provide seamless information access through voice and text interactions, making it easier for Nigerians to engage with government services. Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy at Meta, highlighted the significance of open-source AI in fostering economic growth. Dada explained that GovGuide Nigeria exemplifies how open-source AI can boost local innovation and improve public information accessibility.
“Built by Publica AI on our open-source models, GovGuide Nigeria is a voice and text AI assistant in English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba that gives every Nigerian, including rural and low-literacy users, easier access to information on government services,” Dada noted. She emphasized that the project underscores the potential of open-source AI in supporting homegrown innovation and providing practical solutions.
Ignatius Willie, CEO of Publica AI, noted that the inauguration marked a significant step towards democratizing citizen engagement with the government. Willie explained that GovGuide Nigeria is designed to be conversational, multilingual, and accessible through widely used channels, all powered by Meta’s open-source models and contributions from hundreds of Nigerian language experts.