Broadcasting
Breaking Down Barriers to Voter Engagement: The Success Story of Infobip and Yiaga Africa
In an effort to drive more meaningful voter engagement in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, Yiaga Africa, a leading non-partisan, non-profit organisation, partnered with Infobip, a global cloud communication company to implement an innovative WhatsApp conversational chatbot solution to better connect with, and educate voters across the country.
A first-of-its-kind project for Infobip in Africa, the voter education chatbot named #MyElectionBuddy was developed to provide critical election-related information to the citizens of Nigeria, in line with Yiaga Africa’s drive to increase voters’ education and citizen engagements.
Isaac Akanni, Customer Growth Manager for Africa at Infobip Nigeria, who led the project implementation, noted that this election is crucial for the country, and concerned organisations like Yiaga Africa have worked hard to ensure that eligible voters have all the right information they need to cast their vote at the polls.
Lack of information
“Even though large numbers of people usually register to vote, a relatively lower number turn out in the polls. This is because people often struggle to obtain information about how to cast their votes, where to vote, how to get or renew a voter’s card, or which polling unit they fall under,” he says.
“Voter education was therefore the biggest challenge Yiaga Africa was looking to solve, and they wanted to address it through a comprehensive WhatsApp-driven chatbot that would reach many people.”
The developed chatbot can answer an array of users’ questions and links to the official electoral websites where voters can find external information, like election results.
Global Presence, Local Reach
Akanni explains that after being appointed to the project, Infobip completed implementation by 1 February 2023, amidst very tight timelines.
“With time, we will continue to improve the chatbot and its functionality. However, the user feedback has been positive since the launch, clocking thousands of active users.
Akanni says Yiaga appointed Infobip based on the strength of its solutions and local presence. Infobip gave them a good understanding of the technical requirements to deploy a project of this scale and local insights into the kind of user experience and content that would resonate with Nigerians. One initiative that resonates with the public is the inclusion of a pledge for peace. This feature allows users to win a peace badge for pledging to keep things peaceful and non-violent during the election process.
“We are very honoured to be associated with a prestigious organisation like Yiaga Africa, which has promoted participatory democracy, human rights, and civic participation in Nigeria through its numerous initiatives. With the fantastic relationship we have built with this project, we are confident that we will continue to work together to explore other use cases to help them achieve all their objectives in Africa.”
According to Mark Amaza, Senior Communications Officer at Yiaga Africa, the chatbot increased voters’ confidence in participating in the elections.
“The WhatsApp chatbot enabled us to reach thousands of voters with accurate and timely information in the 2023 Nigerian elections. This information ranged from understanding the electoral process, locating their polling locations, and knowing how to track election results.”
Amaza says they especially appreciate how the Infobip team supported them with the development and launch of the project.
“Infobip ensured that we understood how the chatbot would work and built our capacity to maintain it as an important communication channel for our organisation. Importantly, they were always prompt to respond to inquiries and troubleshoot problems, providing us with 24/7 support.”
You can access the #MyElectionBuddy chatbot by messaging +234 (0) 906 283 0860 on WhatsApp or clicking wa.me/+2349062830860.
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
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