The Bell — the Nject journalCivic journalism on governance, policy, elections and open data across the UK, US and Nigeria.https://www.nject.live/enOpen Contracting: What We Found Tracking 2,400 Public Procurements Across Three Countrieshttps://www.nject.live/blog/open-contracting-three-countries/https://www.nject.live/blog/open-contracting-three-countries/Q2 report: single-bid awards are falling in the UK, flat in the US, and rising in Nigeria — but disclosure speed improved everywhere. The full dataset is open.Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMTData & Transparency Reportsprocurementopen dataquarterly reportYour Right to Ask: How Freedom of Information Works in the US, UK and Nigeriahttps://www.nject.live/blog/right-to-ask-foia-foi-explained/https://www.nject.live/blog/right-to-ask-foia-foi-explained/Three countries, three laws, one principle: public institutions answer to you. Here is exactly how to file a request in each — and what to do when they stall.Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMTPolicy ExplainersFOIAFOI Acttransparencyhow-toHow to Read a Local Council Budget (Without Falling Asleep)https://www.nject.live/blog/read-a-council-budget/https://www.nject.live/blog/read-a-council-budget/A council budget is a moral document wearing a spreadsheet costume. Twenty minutes and four questions are enough to find the story inside.Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMTCivic Educationbudgetslocal governmenthow-toMidterms 2026: Five Senate Races Where the Civic Data Tells a Different Storyhttps://www.nject.live/blog/midterms-2026-senate-races-data/https://www.nject.live/blog/midterms-2026-senate-races-data/Polling averages say one thing. Town-hall attendance, constituent-response rates and FOIA backlogs say another. We ran the numbers on five toss-ups.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMTElections & LeadersmidtermsUS Senatedata analysisWhat Your Councillor Actually Does — And How to Hold Them to Ithttps://www.nject.live/blog/ward-councillor-accountability-lagos/https://www.nject.live/blog/ward-councillor-accountability-lagos/Nigeria’s 8,800+ ward councillors control the government tier closest to your daily life. Most citizens cannot name theirs. Here is the job description, and the scorecard.Thu, 28 May 2026 12:00:00 GMTGovernance & Accountabilitylocal governmentNigeriaaccountabilityRing the Bell: How 4,000 Lagos Residents Got a Broken Water Main Fixed in 11 Dayshttps://www.nject.live/blog/ring-the-bell-lagos-water-main/https://www.nject.live/blog/ring-the-bell-lagos-water-main/The pipe on Adeola Street had leaked for two years. A coordinated bell campaign — and one well-aimed FOI request — ended it in under two weeks.Thu, 21 May 2026 12:00:00 GMTCommunity Voicescase studyLagosinfrastructureNject 2.4: Compare Leaders, Policy Timelines, and Bells That Escalatehttps://www.nject.live/blog/nject-2-4-compare-leaders/https://www.nject.live/blog/nject-2-4-compare-leaders/Our biggest release of the year puts two leader records side by side — offices held, votes cast, promises kept — and teaches the bell to escalate on deadline.Fri, 15 May 2026 12:00:00 GMTNject Newsproductrelease notes