• New AI-powered app aims to improve citizen engagement and access to services

• Platform allows users to interact, ask questions, and give feedback

• Initiative reflects broader push to modernize public services with AI

Nigeria’s government on March 30 announced the launch of CLHEEAN, an artificial intelligence-powered mobile application designed to improve interactions between citizens and public institutions.

Developed under the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the platform functions as a virtual assistant accessible via mobile devices. It allows users to access information on public policies, ask questions, and interact directly with government services. The app includes features such as instant messaging, voice recognition, and multilingual support, including several local languages, to reach a wider audience.

With CLHEEAN, users can also submit feedback, report concerns, and take part in discussions on public policies. The approach is intended to strengthen citizen participation and improve communication between the government and the public.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, director general of the NOA, said the initiative addresses a long-standing gap between citizens seeking to be heard and systems that do not always respond effectively, adding that the platform marks a step toward closing that gap.

The launch comes as Nigeria continues to face challenges in citizen engagement and the dissemination of public information. By leveraging artificial intelligence, authorities aim to make public services more accessible while improving transparency and responsiveness.

The initiative also reflects a broader trend across Africa, where governments are increasingly exploring the use of AI to modernize public services and strengthen ties with citizens.

Adoni Conrad Quenum