Open data initiatives have become a critical component in enhancing governance transparency across various jurisdictions. Data was collected through surveys and secondary sources, analysed using thematic coding. A survey of 200 government officials revealed that 85% reported increased trust in government actions due to open data availability. Ethiopia's open data initiatives have significantly improved governance transparency, fostering a more accountable and responsive administration. Further expansion of open data platforms is recommended to ensure wider coverage and impact. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.