At Plural, our mission is to make public policy data easy to discover, interpret, and collaborate on. Since 2019, we’ve been using artificial intelligence to make the public policy shaping process more accessible. Last year, we announced the expansion of our legislative intelligence software and services into Nigeria and South Africa.
Our Founders’ Vision for Africa
When Damola and I founded Plural, we aimed to improve public participation in governance. We never limited our vision to the United States. Both of our families are from Nigeria. We are both aware of geopolitical realities. We both have always understood the value of public participation in democracy, globally.
We had the opportunity to partner with Obinna Osisiogu, who was working on a similar mission in Abuja, Nigeria. We knew we had to explore the possibility of building a solution on the continent. What we hadn’t expected was for the opportunity and demand to be so large.
The Future of Public Policy in Africa
Every country is thinking about the new digital age. They are digitizing various sectors of public life. Government agencies are increasingly implementing technology solutions to improve how they provide information and services to the public and private sector.
We’ve been excited at the opportunity to build a tech solution to digitize public policy data in Africa.
Nigeria’s Public Policy Context
The first major challenge in creating a legislative intelligence platform in Nigeria was to build the pipeline to connect to the data coming through the Nigerian Assembly. Through partnerships at the Assembly, our team in Abuja has been able to process thousands of bills in the current legislative session.
By connecting constituents to this public policy data, they can be aware and proactive. They can advocate for their position on the policy. The current Assembly reviewed a remarkable total of 1,448 bills just last year. Looking ahead, it is anticipated that their workload will increase significantly. Projections suggest that over 3,500 bills will be evaluated by the 10th Assembly before its term concludes in 2027. The Assembly, which meets three times per week, has many important issues on the floor this legislative session, including major constitutional and economic reforms expected to address the President’s agenda to revitalize the Nigerian economy.
Bringing further transparency to the legislative process allows stakeholders to better understand where public expenditure and direct investments go.This level of transparency also empowers stakeholders to get involved in shaping the policy that’ll impact their business or community.
The future of governance embraces technology to help distribute resources and services. Plural is excited to be on the cutting edge of these developments, particularly in Nigeria and beyond.
Economic Growth & Political Stability in Nigeria
As Nigeria continues to position itself as a hub for economic activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, it’s attracting significant direct investment from international companies. These investments — spanning sectors from the fast growing tech industry to the vital health sector — are pivotal for Nigeria’s economic growth.
However, the success of these investments hinges on a clear understanding of Nigeria’s evolving economic policy, regulatory environment, and government initiatives. This is where Plural’s expansion into Nigeria becomes crucial. By providing comprehensive insights into the legislative and regulatory landscape, Plural equips investors with the essential tools to navigate the complexities of the Nigerian government’s economic plans and public spending strategies. Plural doesn’t only facilitate transparency in public policy; it empowers investors to align their strategies with the future of public policy in Nigeria. This optimizes their return on investment and contributes to the nation’s economic trajectory.
Plural in Nigeria
Today Plural offers the ability for users to search, track and collaborate on legislation passing through the Nigerian Assembly and the South African Parliament. Users can automate their discovery of legislation with Plural’s easy to use features like Saved Search Alerts, Highly Similar Bills and Bill Recommendations.
If you’re interested in seeing how Plural works for your research of African policy, contact us below.
