Nigeria partners with Google to equip civil servants with AI expertise

Google.org has unveiled Apolitical’s Government Artificial Intelligence (AI) Campus skills training for Nigerian public servants, a trusted global hub for AI excellence in government.

Google made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja, stating that the partnership is with the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AI Campus will provide a comprehensive set of practical resources for public servants.

The Minister, Dr Bosun Tijani, emphasised the critical role of AI skills in government, adding that Nigeria sees AI as a major driver of productivity across its key sectors.

“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 —
to accelerate and shorten the time we spend administering our processes, or by using it to better deliver to our people.

This is why we are extremely excited about this opportunity and the support from Google,” he said.

Speaking about Google’s motivation for supporting the programme, Olumide Balogun, West Africa Director at Google, explained that championing Nigeria’s digital transformation means investing in the people who shape its future.

Balogun said that by working hand-in-hand with public sector leaders and practitioners, Google would provide technical resources and share knowledge in order to better empower civil servants.

He added that through AI, Nigerian communities could benefit from smarter solutions, improved social outcomes, and greater inclusion in a rapidly changing digital economy.

“We are not only providing technical resources but sharing knowledge that empowers them to deliver better, more efficient government services,” he said.

Chris Ferguson, Vice President at Apolitical, reinforced the value of upskilling, stating that structured training is the cornerstone of 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.

Bringing the Apolitical Government AI Campus to Nigeria is part of our broader commitment over the past years to advance AI adoption and digital skills in Nigeria.

This includes partnerships to expand internet access, support local AI innovation hubs, and enhance digital education.

These efforts collectively aim to help build a robust AI ecosystem that powers Nigeria’s sustainable economic growth and social development,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, Communications and Public Relations Manager, West Africa, said AI was emerging as a key driver of Nigeria’s digital transformation.

Kola-Ogunlade noted that research from Apolitical showed that while 72 per cent of government leaders are running AI pilots, over half reported lacking a comprehensive strategy for AI adoption.

He said that every dollar invested in AI has the potential to add more than eight dollars to the economy.

“To seize this opportunity, Nigeria needs an AI-skilled public service that can accelerate innovation, improve citizen-centred services, and contribute to sustainable economic growth.

They will have access to government-specific online training, covering topics from AI fundamentals to AI leadership, plus expert-led events, tools, and frameworks, all designed to help public servants apply AI learnings in their domain.

They can also join the global AI in Government community,  a space where thousands of government peers from around the world share.

(NAN)