Civic-Tech organisation, Connected Development (CODE), has launched a technology that will allow it to monitor and report electoral procedures in real-time during Nigeria’s general elections.
The technology, named Uzabe, is an Open Situation Awareness Room (OSAR) initiative.
In a statement issued by the Communications Officer for CODE, Seun Durojaye, on Thursday, the group explained that the technology is an election tool that will provide citizens with real-time situational reports on election processes, targeting specific locations in different parts of the country.
Durojaye said: “Recognising the need for more transparent and credible elections in Nigeria, Connected Development (CODE) launched Uzabe, an election monitoring tool, to identify gaps in the Nigerian electoral processes and to provide a feedback mechanism that gives citizens real-time situational reports on election processes targeting specific locations within different parts of the country.
“Uzabe, is an Open Situation Awareness Room (OSAR) initiative that will provide real-time intelligence, mapping tools, and witness reports from our 20,000 trained observers spread across various polling units in Nigeria.
“Using the UZABE platform, CODE actively participated in Nigeria’s 2015 and 2019 general elections and deployed over ten thousand observers in both polls, who reported in real-time, leveraging the geo-mapping technological tool.”
CODE said it will deploy 20,000 observers and leverage the Uzabe technology to cover the elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for 25 February, while governorship and state houses of assembly elections will be held on 11 March.
Speaking on ensuring free, fair and credible elections, Chief Executive of CODE and Founder FollowTheMoney International, Hamzat Lawal, said observers will leverage the Uzabe technology to monitor and observe the elections.
“Our approach is to improve intelligence gathering during elections by providing real-time reports, using technology.
“For this purpose we are deploying 20,000 observers who will work to monitor and authenticate reports from the field to ensure credible elections as well as establishing early warning systems in rural and vulnerable communities in the 2023 general election,” Mr Lawal said.
Mr Lawal said observing past elections has provided unique learning opportunities for the organisation that can help inform election monitoring strategy for the elections.
