By BONIFACE AKARAH

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have launched a Local Government Website Pilot Initiative in Nasarawa State, with a plan to extend the digital transparency platform to all 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

Flagging off the initiative in Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule declared that the era of secrecy in local government administration was over, assuring citizens that information on public funds received and how they were spent would be made accessible.

“Once funds are received, the people will know what was received, when it was received, and how it is being utilised,” Sule said.

The initiative, themed “Deepening Transparency and Accountability at the Grassroots Through Digital Disclosure”, is designed to give citizens access to information on local government allocations, budgets, expenditure, procurement, projects and service delivery.

Sule said transparency was not merely about publishing government information but also about empowering citizens to monitor projects and participate actively in governance and development.

NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, described the initiative as a transformative governance project aimed at bringing government closer to citizens through technology.

“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 said.

According to him, the project would strengthen citizen engagement and improve governance while creating economic opportunities for local technology professionals who would build, manage and sustain the digital platforms.

Inuwa said the agency's broader objective was to create 774 digitally transformed local governments capable of delivering better services and experiences to millions of Nigerians.

The Chairman of ICPC, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, said the initiative would help entrench accountability and prevent corruption at the grassroots, particularly as Nigeria advances local government autonomy.

“Transparency must accompany autonomy,” Aliyu said.

He said the digital disclosure platform would enable citizens to track public spending, monitor projects, access key governance information and engage with their local councils.

Aliyu added that transparency should not be treated as a punitive measure but as a tool for strengthening public trust, improving service delivery and promoting responsible governance.

Nasarawa, which is serving as the pilot state, is expected to provide a model for nationwide implementation of the initiative.

The project is intended to establish accessible digital platforms through which Nigerians can scrutinise how public resources are allocated and utilised at the grassroots, with the ultimate goal of improving transparency and accountability across the country's 774 local government areas.