( CNN ) Nigerians go to the polls on March 28 in a tight contest , which is getting extra attention after the original date was rescheduled at the last minute . Many voters will be holding their registration card in one hand , and their mobile in the other -- making democratic history with the help of tech . In Africa 's largest mobile phone market , programs to encourage citizens to get involved in the election have been gaining traction . `` Nigerians are looking for information , '' says Femi Longe , co-founder of Co-Creation Hub which meshes tech and social issues . `` Technology is helping people get involved in the conversation around democracy and elections , which is very important , as the general interest in the air has waned since the voting date was changed . '' As incumbent Goodluck Jonathan prepares to face-off against former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari , Longe and his team have developed TechSQUAD -- a gang of geeks who work on web-projects that help citizens vote . Pre-Vote Prep . One such project is Govote.ng , a popular website that is focused on the registration process -- that 's crucial as in Africa 's most populous country , with over 170 million citizens , the logistics can be staggering . `` Most Nigerians have no idea where they are registered , '' explains Longe . `` We want to simplify the entire election process , [ and ] make it responsive to users . '' People log on to the site to see whether they are registered with the Nigeria Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) and , if not , they can find out how and where to register . TechSQUAD says approximately 10,000 people visit the site each day . Finger 's Influence . Other squads concentrate on the next step . Youth charity YIAGA has set up ThumbPower which gets Nigerians to `` use your thumb wisely . '' Sections like `` Who can vote '' and `` Where and When '' set out the process in language anyone can understand . Interactive maps connect users to local activists and the countdown clock is a reminder that the new elections date is approaching fast . `` The rescheduling of the election ... did affect the level of voter enthusiasm , '' explains YIAGA Program Manager , Cynthia Mbamalu . `` While there are certain concerns about security and the guarantee of free , fair and credible elections , the interest in this election is founded on the belief that this time votes will count . '' Personality Problem . This election will be the first since Nigeria re-calculated it 's GDP and pulled ahead of South Africa to become the continent 's biggest economy . With a nominal GDP of $ 510 billion , and an oil sector that makes up 96 % of total export earnings , the outcome of the vote will be closely watched by policy makers and businesses all over the world . Politicians , however , stand accused of relying on personalities rather than policies when it comes to winning votes . `` The strength of a leader 's personality and his key personal networks are playing a very strong role , '' says Jasper Veen , Nigeria Director at National Democratic Institute . `` Both flag-bearers occasionally attempt to articulate policy positions -- it is still a far cry from policy-based politics . '' And this is set to be a particular issue in this poll , as some seek a strongman who can defeat Boko Haram militants in the North-East -- the main justification authorities used when explaining the decision to delay the vote by six weeks . To fight this popularity contest , TechSQUAD collaborated with The Centre for Democracy and Development ( CDD ) to produce ngmanifesto.org , which explains what the parties plan to do to improve education , the economy and infrastructure . And once a government is elected , the site will track whether election pledges become reality . 'Quick Count ' Technology will also play a big role on voting day . A representative volunteer network of 4,000 observers trained by Transition Monitoring Group ( TMG ) will corroborate official election results using a system of text messages . The SMSs are coded so they can not be intercepted , and also to ensure the data can be organized and communicated quickly . The process aims to bring transparency to the elections , and will be assisted by Niger 's Former Prime Minister , Mahamadou Danda , who is part of a smaller team of international observers organized by the National Democratic Institute . Such independent observation is likely to speak to the thousands of citizens concerned with governance in the country . A recent Afrobarometer poll found that 68 % of respondents are `` not very '' or `` not at all '' satisfied with the way democracy is working in Nigeria . Another approach to inspire citizens to get involved in the election is the Nigerian Constitution App which has been downloaded almost 1 million times according to The Indigo Trust . By making the constitution available on mobile phones , the app aims to teach citizens about national laws and inspire them to vote . And there 's also BudgIT -- a site that publishes state and federal budgets for all to see . The list of election-based websites and apps goes on -- too many to mention here . But , while the election outcome is yet to be seen , it seems that the tech involved could bring a formidable force to the ballot box . More from Marketplace Africa . Read this : Cooking up a recipe for tasty profits in UAE . Watch this : Banana fiber transforms lives in Uganda .
Nigeria 's postponed Presidential election is slated to be held on each day . Incumbent Goodluck Jonathan will face-off against former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari . Technologists and NGOs are working together to help voters prepare for the election .