The Federal Government has partnered with Meta to launch GovGuide Nigeria, an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot designed to provide Nigerians with easier access to government services in multiple local languages.
The initiative was unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy during the presentation of Meta’s Economic Impact Report in Nigeria.
According to the ministry, GovGuide Nigeria is a multilingual voice and text chatbot developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, and local technology firm Publica AI.
The platform is expected to provide users with seamless access to information on government services through a web-based interface in English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s efforts to improve access to public services through emerging technologies.
According to him, deploying AI-powered tools in local languages on widely used digital platforms would improve transparency, strengthen citizen engagement and make government services more accessible to Nigerians.
Tijani added that the project would also support productivity growth and contribute to the expansion of Nigeria’s digital economy.
Speaking at the launch, Meta’s Head of Public Policy, Sade Dada, described open-source artificial intelligence as a major driver of economic growth and innovation.
She explained that GovGuide Nigeria was built using Meta’s open-source AI models, including Llama, and designed to serve a broad range of users, including people in rural communities and individuals with limited literacy levels.
Chief Executive Officer of Publica AI, Ignatius Willie, described the initiative as a major step towards transforming how citizens interact with government institutions.
He said the chatbot would make public services more conversational, multilingual and easily accessible on platforms Nigerians already use daily.
The Federal Government noted that the project forms part of broader efforts to promote digital inclusion, encourage the adoption of artificial intelligence and improve public service delivery through technology-driven solutions.