The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Thursday, unveiled a joint initiative to make the finances and activities of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas more accessible to the public in Nasarawa.
According to NITDA, the initiative, tagged the Local Government Website Pilot Initiative, is designed to give Nigerians direct access to information about allocations, budgets, expenditure, procurement, ongoing projects and service delivery at the grassroots.
Abdullahi Sule, governor of Nasarawa State, who formally launched the initiative, said his administration was committed to openness and accountable governance, insisting that local government operations should no longer be shielded from public scrutiny.
“Once funds are received, the people will know what was received, when it was received, and how it is being utilised, he assured.
Sule said transparency should go beyond making government records available online. According to him, citizens must be able to use the information to monitor public projects, assess government performance and participate more actively in decisions affecting their communities.
The project comes at a time when local government autonomy and the management of public resources at the grassroots have attracted renewed national attention. Its promoters believe that making financial and administrative records publicly accessible will give residents a better opportunity to question spending decisions and demand accountability from their elected representatives.
Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General, NITDA, described the initiative as an important step towards using technology to improve governance and bring public institutions closer to the people.
He said the project was not simply about creating websites for local councils but about building a digital system through which local governments could become more transparent, responsive and accountable.
“We are not simply building websites. We are laying the foundation for digitally empowered local governments that are transparent, accountable, responsive and connected to the people they serve.”
Inuwa explained that the initiative would also create opportunities for technology professionals and businesses at the local level by engaging indigenous talents to develop, manage and maintain the platforms.
He said NITDA’s broader objective was to support the digital transformation of all 774 local government areas, improving access to public services and creating better channels of communication between councils and residents.
Under the proposed arrangement, the websites will provide information on local government revenue and allocations, approved budgets, expenditure records, procurement activities, development projects and the delivery of essential services.
For residents, the platforms are expected to provide a way to follow projects in their communities, check government commitments and compare announced spending with visible development. For local authorities, the initiative could improve record management, public communication and administrative accountability.
Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, chairman of ICPC, described the project as a significant move towards preventing corruption and strengthening accountability at the grassroots, particularly as local government autonomy advances.
“Transparency must accompany autonomy.”
Aliyu said citizens should have access to information that would enable them to monitor public expenditure, track development projects and engage their local councils on issues affecting their communities.
He also argued that transparency should not be treated simply as a mechanism for punishing public officials but as a means of building public confidence, improving service delivery and encouraging responsible management of public resources.