FG, Meta Launch AI Chatbot to Simplify Access to Government Services

The Federal Government has teamed up with Meta to deploy an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot aimed at helping Nigerians easily navigate government services using multiple local languages.

Named GovGuide Nigeria, the multilingual voice and text assistant was unveiled following the release of Meta’s Economic Impact Report on Nigeria. The platform was developed through a partnership between Meta, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, and Nigerian tech firm Publica AI.

The chatbot operates via a web-based interface and supports English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. It is designed to provide seamless access to comprehensive information on government services, with a particular focus on reaching rural and low-literacy users.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the project reflects the government’s commitment to using emerging technologies to make public services more accessible and responsive. He noted that deploying AI tools in local languages on everyday platforms would improve access, transparency, trust, and citizen engagement, while also supporting the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.

Meta’s Head of Public Policy, Sade Dada, described open-source AI as vital to economic growth and productivity. She explained that GovGuide Nigeria was built by Publica AI using Meta’s open-source Llama models, demonstrating how such technologies can solve real-world challenges and foster homegrown innovation.

The Chief Executive Officer of Publica AI, Ignatius Willie, called the launch a major step toward transforming citizen-government interactions. He said the chatbot makes public services conversational, multilingual, and available on channels Nigerians already use daily. Willie added that the project proves Africa can build its own digital public infrastructure tailored to local realities.

The initiative aligns with broader federal efforts to expand digital inclusion, promote AI adoption, and improve service delivery through technology-driven solutions.