Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Kimpact Development Initiative, a non-governmental organization, has unveiled a web platform, NaijaElections, to help curb misinformation and voter apathy during Anambra governorship election.
The App was unveiled at a programme tagged: “Naija Elections Awka DemTalks Youth Outreach,” held in Awka, the state capital, Thursday.
Executive Director of KDI, Mr Bukola Idowu, who performed the unveiling, described the app as an AI-powered electoral platform that is built to transform how young Nigerians engage with the democratic process.
“Basically, the Naija Election App is an election and governance information platform. What it does is to give accurate official information. It is official because it houses the electoral act, the constitution and the INEC guidelines.
“The main purpose of the platform is to curb misinformation and disinformation. The app provides accurate information, utilizing generative artificial intelligence to interact with users with the ultimate goal of educating them about the constitution and elections,” he said.
Idowu further explained that the app’s artificial intelligence features makes it easier for young people to use. He noted that the app was designed to reach young people through familiar technology, allowing them to access information easily.
“For instance, the Nigerian constitution in book format can be boring to read. But presenting it on a phone app with artificial intelligence and multiple language options makes it more engaging and interactive particularly for the youths.
“There is no more excuse for ignorance. The youths need to understand what the election process is all about and what the landscape is and be able to participate effectively.”
Idowu also reported that Anambra has experienced declining voter participation since 2014, attributing the low turnout to the major loophole that enables election rigging and poor governance.
He emphasized that informed voters are crucial for the 2025 Anambra governorship election. He also stressed that having access to accurate information would enable citizens to participate actively in the forthcoming election.
Director National Orientation Agency (NOA), Anambra State, Edozie Ajaegbu, while declaring the event open, highlighted voter apathy and the need for targeted improved electoral information.
Giving the statistics, the director revealed that Anambra’s electoral data have shown a stark reality, where only 613,861 (24.2%) of the 2.5 million registered voters cast valid votes in the 2023 general election.
Commending KDI for the initiative, he said the tool was timely and added that his agency is open to collaborations to deepen the knowledge, attitude and practice of the AI powered tool for electoral and democratic information.
Earlier in his remark, KDI Programme Manager, Abiodun Banjoko, said the idea behind the programme was for young people to share ideas, raise questions, and claim their space in Nigeria’s political future.
