Big Tent's 'Obidient Connect' Targets 20 Million Nigerians

The 'Obidient Connect' initiative, led by Professor Pat Utomi and the Big Tent Coalition, aims to mobilize 20 million Nigerians, both domestically and in the diaspora, ahead of the 2027 general elections. This civic tech platform is designed to create a nationwide operational system for citizen-led democracy, focusing on grassroots engagement across Nigeria's 176,864 polling units.

The initiative emphasizes the importance of structured civic power following the unprecedented citizen engagement seen in the 2023 elections. It aims to ensure that every polling unit is organized and that volunteers are trained to protect votes.

The platform is built around four operational pillars, including direct connections to polling units and real-time reporting for electoral monitoring. Additionally, the initiative targets a fundraising goal of $500 million from the diaspora, alongside a local contribution of 100 billion Naira, marking a significant shift towards crowd-sourced, transparent political financing in Nigeria.