Millions of Nigerians will now be able to check their polling units, verify candidates, and get trusted election information without leaving WhatsApp, as civic tech group YandyTech Community rolled out a new multilingual assistant for its platform, Muryanmu.
The move comes as Nigeria grapples with low voter turnout, misinformation, and limited access to electoral data in local languages. The new tool allows citizens to simply message 07043672113 on WhatsApp and receive civic information in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, or English.
The expansion was announced Tuesday by YandyTech Community under its Tech4Peace and Citizen Lab initiative. It was made possible by a Tier 2 Grant from the Digital Democracy Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa, DDISA, Fund.
Muryanmu, meaning “Our Voice,” was created to improve citizens’ access to credible civic and electoral information. With this latest upgrade, the platform now speaks the three major indigenous languages alongside English.
According to YandyTech, the shift is deliberate: most Nigerians get news and interact with government through WhatsApp and in their mother tongue. Bringing election data to that space removes a critical barrier.
“Democracy is stronger when citizens can access the information they need to participate, regardless of their language, location or level of digital literacy,” said Alamin Musa Magaga, Project Lead for Muryanmu.
“With the support of the DDISA Tier 2 Grant, we are taking important steps toward making Muryanmu more inclusive, accessible and responsive to the information needs of citizens.”
Through the WhatsApp Assistant and the broader Muryanmu platform, users can now get: Polling unit details and locations ahead of elections. Candidate profiles and manifestos.
Step-by-step guides on voter registration and election day procedures Live election insights and verified updates during polls Accessible formats for users with low digital literacy
YandyTech said the DDISA funding will also help strengthen live election monitoring and add more accessibility features to reach persons with disabilities and rural communities.
“This milestone is about inclusion,” the organization stated. “By reducing language barriers and meeting people on a platform they already use daily, we can ensure more Nigerians have access to timely, trusted and relevant civic and electoral information.”
Through Muryanmu, YandyTech Community reaffirmed its commitment to using technology and innovation to strengthen civic participation and build a more inclusive digital democracy in Nigeria.
Citizens nationwide can begin using the service immediately by messaging the Muryanmu WhatsApp Assistant on 07043672113.
