Founder and Chief Executive Officer of GetBundi Education Technology, Osita Oparaugo, has made a case for the application of technology across all government processes to eliminate the trust issues citizens have with the government.
Oparaugo said that while technology does not create trust, it removes hiding places.
He stated this on Monday while appearing as a guest on a Channels Television programme, Beam. The programme focused on the topic, “Can technology fix Nigeria’s trust issues with the government?”
“Trust doesn’t come from press statements or official assurances. Trust comes from shared facts. From the evidence, people can verify themselves,” Oparaugo said.
“When public spending is transparent, government services are predictable, and complaints are tracked and resolved publicly, trust stops being about hope and starts being about proof,” he said.
Speaking further, the GetBundi Founder queried why, for instance, the Nigerian government cannot deploy technology effectively to track and stop terrorists and bandits terrorizing citizens in the northern part of the country.
“If terrorists and bandits operating in Northern Nigeria can use technology to coordinate, evade, and survive, why can’t the Nigerian government deploy technology effectively to track and stop them?” he asked.
Turning to elections, Oparaugo said the country needs end-to-end transparent voting and result flow, and that technology already provides the tools.
“Let’s be honest: elections in Nigeria feel like a scam to many citizens. People vote peacefully. They follow the rules. Then somehow, the results change between the polling unit and the final collation.
“Rigging thrives in darkness. Elections only feel fair when rules apply consistently, and results are visible at the source. When polling-unit results are public immediately, manipulation becomes risky, detectable, and loud.
“My honest position is simple: Nigeria needs end-to-end transparent voting and result flow. Technology already gives us the tools: Polling-unit result capture with photos/scans uploaded immediately; a public results portal where citizens see exactly what was posted at their polling unit; time-stamped, immutable logs that make alteration obvious and traceable.
“Stop asking citizens to trust. Start giving them proof,” he said.