Nigeria Launches AI Government Campus to Upskill Civil Servants
The Nigerian government, in partnership with Google and Apolitical, has launched the AI Government Campus - a structured program to train civil servants in AI fundamentals, ethics, and use cases that improve service delivery. Courses include assessments to track progress and reinforce accountability.
The goal is simple: build a digitally fluent civil service that uses AI to accelerate processes, improve decisions, and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Integrating AI into Government Operations
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, set a clear direction: "We see artificial intelligence as a major driver of productivity across our key sectors. We are putting resources into ensuring AI becomes native to our civil service - to accelerate the time we spend on processes and deliver better outcomes for citizens."
This initiative supports Nigeria's broader AI strategy for governance, focusing on automation, data analytics, and practical digital innovation across ministries and agencies.
Google's Role in AI Capacity Building
Adewolu Adene, Google's Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager for West Africa, highlighted the company's role in building public sector capability: "By working hand-in-hand with public sector leaders, we're not only providing technical tools but sharing knowledge that helps them build smarter, more inclusive governance."
- Funding: ₦2.8 billion committed to AI talent development in Nigeria.
- DeepTech Ready Upskilling: Training 20,000 Nigerians in data science and AI.
- Experience AI: Helping teachers introduce AI concepts to 125,000 students.
- University Access Programmes: One year of free access to premium AI tools for African university students.
Empowering Public Sector Teams
Chris Ferguson, Vice President at Apolitical, noted that the AI Government Campus will equip officials at all levels with practical skills to integrate AI into governance. "The program is designed to empower decision-makers to identify opportunities for AI across ministries and agencies. It's about giving civil servants the practical knowledge to apply AI responsibly and effectively."
Training includes ethical frameworks, data privacy, and responsible deployment, ensuring technology supports - not replaces - human judgment.
What This Means for Ministries and Agencies
- Faster workflows: Document processing, case triage, and inquiry handling move from hours to minutes.
- Better decisions: Data-driven insights for policy design, allocation, and oversight.
- Stronger citizen services: Consistent, responsive communication across channels.
- Upskilled teams: Shared baseline in AI basics, ethics, and risk management.
How the Training Works
- Modules: AI fundamentals, ethics and privacy, and government-grade use cases.
- Assessments: Progress checks to confirm competency and accountability.
- Application: Tools and templates to spot viable use cases inside your agency.
- Governance: Guidance on procurement, data management, and deployment standards.
90-Day Starter Plan for Agencies
- Weeks 1-2: Inventory repetitive processes; shortlist 3-5 use cases with measurable impact.
- Weeks 3-4: Enroll core staff; complete AI fundamentals and ethics modules; set KPIs.
- Weeks 5-8: Run two small pilots (e.g., document summarization, email triage, report drafting).
- Weeks 9-10: Review results with legal, audit, and data teams; refine risk controls.
- Weeks 11-12: Approve scale-up plan; publish a short internal playbook for reuse across departments.
Governance, Privacy, and Risk
- Data: Classify datasets; restrict sensitive fields; log access and model outputs.
- Ethics: Require human review for decisions with legal or financial impact.
- Procurement: Use standard contracts covering security, uptime, model updates, and exit options.
- Quality: Monitor for bias, drift, and accuracy; set thresholds and escalation paths.
Building a Digitally Ready Civil Service
The AI Government Campus fits with Nigeria's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the Federal Ministry's push for a modern, digitally capable civil service. "This marks a new chapter for Nigeria's public sector," Tijani said. "We are not only preparing for the future - we are creating it."
For context on broader digital policy, visit the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy website: fmcide.gov.ng. To learn more about the public sector partner, see Apolitical.
Where to Build Skills Next
If you're planning role-based upskilling for your team, you can also review curated AI course paths by job function here: Complete AI Training - Courses by Job.
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