The Federal Government on Thursday launched an Artificial Intelligence training programme for public servants in partnership with Google as part of efforts to transform governance and improve service delivery in Nigeria.
The initiative, which was unveiled in Abuja, is being anchored on the Apolitical Government AI Campus, a global hub for AI excellence in government supported by Google.
It is delivered through the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy with the aim of equipping civil servants and government leaders with the skills required to adopt and apply AI in daily operations.
Speaking virtually at the launch on Thursday, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the programme was designed to align with President Bola Tinubu’s plan to build a $1tn economy and ensure Nigeria is not left behind in the global race for AI adoption.
He explained that artificial intelligence was now central to the productivity of key sectors, including food security, education and healthcare.
Tijani noted that the government had already taken important steps such as developing a national AI strategy, establishing a National AI Trust and the Artificial Intelligence Collective, and releasing a government-backed multilingual large language model.
According to him, these investments would amount to little if public servants were not empowered to use AI in their work.
The minister said, “Despite all these investments in deepening the absorptive capacity, we also understand the need for government itself to accelerate the understanding among our civil servants, but also accelerate the adoption and integration of artificial intelligence into how we do things in government.
“Whether it’s by using it to accelerate and shorten the time we spend on administrating our processes, or by using it to better deliver to our people.
“And this is why the e-political government AI campus is extremely important. We have been putting resources into ensuring that we can support our civil servants and our public service in a manner that AI can become something that is native to them. And this is why we’re extremely excited about this opportunity and support from Google.”
He said Nigeria must accelerate the absorptive capacity of the government itself to integrate AI into administration and deliver better results to citizens.
Also speaking, the Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy for West Africa at Google, Adewolu Adene, said that the programme would follow a phased approach.
He explained that senior decision makers would first be trained to understand the importance of AI adoption.
The second phase would target middle-level executives with a focus on how to strategically apply AI to daily government processes.
The final stage would train civil servants across the board to use AI tools. Adene described the initiative as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Nigeria’s public service to transition from digital to intelligent government.
He pointed to research indicating that AI could deliver up to $1.75tn trillion in annual global productivity gains for the public sector by 2033, with most citizens worldwide expecting AI to streamline government operations.
Also, Google’s Director for West Africa, Olumide Balogun, said that championing Nigeria’s digital transformation meant investing in people who shape the country’s future.
He said the company’s partnership with the public sector would provide knowledge that empowers officials to deliver more efficient services.
Google’s Communications Manager for West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, noted that the firm had a long record of investment in Nigeria through digital skills training, infrastructure projects such as the Equiano subsea cable and support for start-ups.
He described the AI Campus as a programme designed for public sector leaders and practitioners who are the engine of national progress, saying it was ultimately about using AI to improve healthcare, education and public services for Nigerians.
Vice President at Apolitical, Chris Ferguson, said structured training was the cornerstone of successful AI adoption in government.
He said the initiative was a pioneering effort that would give Nigerian public servants the skills to lead digital transformation with confidence and foresight.
“Structured training is the cornerstone for successful AI adoption in government. This initiative is a pioneering effort that will equip Nigerian public servants with the capabilities to lead the digital transformation with confidence and foresight,” Ferguson said.
The launch of the AI Campus is part of a wider push by government and partners to strengthen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
PUNCH Online earlier in October 2024 reported that the Federal Government has secured a grant of N2.8bn from Google to boost artificial intelligence talent development across Nigeria, aiming to close skill gaps and position the country at the forefront of AI innovation in Africa.
The following month, it was also reported that Google was intensifying efforts to harness Artificial Intelligence to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation, viewing it as a vital tool for economic growth and development.
