TheCable

Oluseun Onigbinde, founder and lead director, BudgIT, says he feels pride in the work the organisation has done so far.

Onigbinde said this while speaking on the recent edition #ThursdayTalks, a monthly conversation on national issues powered by BudgIT and EIE Nigeria.

The latest edition focused on BudgIT’s impact within Nigeria’s civic-tech space as it marked ten years in existence.

Speaking at the event on Thursday, Onigbinde said when he looks at how much BudgIT has achieved so far, he feels part pride and part disappointment.

“Part pride because of the work we have done and how we’ve been able to make a dent in the issues of Nigeria in terms of how people access the budget, part pride in the projects we’ve delivered for people, setting a time in things like open treasury, holding government into account, putting a household name in terms of branding and how much fund we’ve been able to attract over the years, from international and development partners,” he said.

“But it comes also with a whiff of disappointment too about the current state of our country. When one looks back in retrospect, you begin to wonder how much change could be said to have occurred in a macro way. I believe transparency should not just occur for transparency, it’s supposed to be gearing the society towards advancement and progress.

“And that’s not what we can say we’ve seen in Nigeria today in terms of how GDP is collapsing, the currency is losing value, inflation is still in double digits. It feels like ten years ago we were in a better place than we are right now in terms of macroeconomic index and I think how we can impact the society more is one thing I’m thinking of, not just demanding accountability.”

Also speaking, Joseph Amenaghawon, senior programme officer, OSIWA, spoke on the partnership between both organisations, adding that BudgIT is one of the first platforms to use infographics to make the federal government budget much more accessible.

“The journey has been extremely value adding, there has been ups and downs, but I think what has sustained the mission is that the excitement to do something new, to do something different and to take the risks has remained. I think that’s a very powerful way to compliment the work BudgIT has done throughout the years,” he said.