EMY 101 — Côte d'Ivoire's AI Chatbot for WhatsApp- and Messenger-Based Public Service Access

In March 2026, Côte d'Ivoire's Ministère de la Transition Numérique et de l'Innovation Technologique (Ministry of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation) launched EMY 101, an AI-powered conversational assistant designed to connect citizens with public administration without requiring a visit to a government office. The tool was announced on March 15, 2026 and reported by multiple Ivorian and pan-African outlets in the days that followed.

Citizens reach EMY 101 by saving a dedicated WhatsApp number and sending the keyword "Emy" or "Emy 101", through Facebook Messenger, or by calling the toll-free number 101. The assistant answers questions on civil-status procedures, taxation and ministerial services, provides contact details for the relevant public institution, and lets users submit alerts, complaints or feedback directly to the administration, operating as a single, always-available digital counter.

As of publication, the government had not released usage figures, cost data, or an evaluation of EMY 101's accuracy or citizen satisfaction — the coverage available is limited to the launch announcement and feature description, and independent commentators note that the initiative's success will depend on citizen adoption and response reliability that has not yet been measured.

Read the full analysis: https://techafricanews.com/2026/03/20/cote-divoire-launches-emy-101-ai-chatbot-to-transform-public-service-access/