FG trains public servants on AI to boost service delivery

The Federal Government has launched a five-day training on using artificial intelligence to improve public service delivery.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme targets reform directors from MDAs and local government chairmen in Gombe State.

Opening the event on Monday, Dasuki Arabi, Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, said the training aimed to deepen reforms for better service delivery.

Arabi said civil servants must learn AI tools, adding that “technology now drives effective public service”.

He stressed alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda to improve the “value of lives of ordinary Nigerians”.

According to him, COVID-19 accelerated the shift from analogue to digital systems, making AI adoption essential.

He said: “We want participants to deliver services using AI as approved by the e-governance master plan.”

Arabi added that government policies now emphasise AI, blockchain and the internet of things within public service.

He said technology was reshaping discussions, adding, “That’s why we are changing from paper to paperless”.

He challenged reform directors to prepare for future challenges and shifts in leadership structures.

“Researchers say this may be the last batch of leaders managing people alone,” he noted.

He said future management would involve people and machines, eventually becoming machine-focused.

Arabi urged participants to generate ideas to protect Nigeria’s human capital.

He assured that outcomes from the workshop would be implemented to strengthen service delivery.

Gombe State Head of Service, Kasimu Abdullahi, said the state had progressed significantly since adopting reforms.

He said Gov. Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to reform had yielded visible improvements for the people.

Abdullahi said the state would continue to align with national reform trends to improve lives.

On his part, Mr Abubakar Hassan, the DG, BPSR, Gombe State commended the BPSR under the Presidency for championing a more effective, efficient and ctizen-centred public service and the Bureau’s unwavering commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu-led administration and the sustainable development of Nigeria.

Hassan said investing in reforms was not a luxury; “it is an urgent necessity for national progress, economic growth and the restoration of public trust.”

He urged participants to see themselves as the architect of Nigeria’s future, describing them as agents of change.

He further urged them to translate the insights gained from the workshop into actionable plans within their respective domains.

“Let the recommendations from this workshop not end up as another report on a shelf; let them be the blueprint for the new Nigeria public service; a service that is agile, merit-based and we are all proud to serve,” he said.

The workshop theme is ‘Strengthening Public Sector Performance through Reforms in Nigeria.’

The total number of civil servants being trained is 110.

FG trains public servants on AI to boost service delivery

VP Shettima Welcomes Schoolnet’s Offer To Introduce Smart Class Solutions For Nigerian Schools

*Asks India tech firm to work with FG officials on workability of learning package

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has welcomed the offer by Schoolnet India Ltd & Learnet Skills Ltd to partner with the Nigerian government and private sector entities to implement its KYAN smart class solutions in Nigerian schools.

He said the project, which aims to digitally transform education by introducing interactive smart boards and digital content to improve learning outcomes, will be very beneficial to primary and secondary schools in Nigeria if domesticated with local content.

The Vice President, who spoke on Monday when he received a team from Schoolnet India Ltd & Learnet Skills Ltd led by its Managing Director/CEO, Mr. RCM Reddy, described the KYAN smart class solutions as a rugged package with the capacity to deliver.

He asked the Schoolnet Ltd team to liaise with relevant officials of the federal government of Nigeria to deliberate on how to domesticate the learning package by integrating local content for Nigerian schools.

Senator Shettima cited the smart school initiatives in Edo and Enugu, two states he said have invested heavily in smart schools, saying that integrating such indigenous ideas and KYAN smart class solutions into a single unit will significantly benefit Nigerian schools.

He recalled the use of KYAN smart class solutions to teach students in Borno State while he was Governor of the state, pointing out that such innovations would revolutionise Nigeria’s education system.

“The beauty of KYAN is that it is a very rugged machine. You can use one card to teach 70 students. If you are to buy a tablet per student, the highest you will target are higher institutions or senior secondary school.

“I am more interested in your package for primary schools and secondary schools like you did in Borno. In Borno you even did for tertiary institutions but now, tertiary can be replaced with TBET.

“So, you can package it well so that we can have a domesticated version. Honestly speaking, the Indian version of English is different from our own. Maybe you can use AI to customize it to our own local curriculum,” the VP stated.

Earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SchoolNet India Limited, Mr Reddy, said the company is highly inspired by the Nigerian government’s vision to adopt technology in classrooms.

In the company’s bid to leverage the vast educational opportunities in Nigeria, he explained that they are offering a very unique solution—“a school in a box,” also known as Kyan, describing the technology as all-in-one.

Highlighting the features of the innovation, he said, “It has an integrated projector and a high-end computer. It converts any wall into a smart board and has a camera. It comes preloaded with digital content for grades 1 to 10.

“And it also uses AI where the internet is available. Where it is not available, all the content is preloaded inside this ‘school in a box’.”

Mr Reddy further noted that if deployed, the Kyan innovation will have a significant impact on teachers’ performance in Nigeria.

He recalled that the Kyan technological solutions were introduced in Borno State when Vice President Shettima was Governor, noting that teachers in the state were trained to use it.

As advised by the Vice President, the Schoolnet MD promised to work closely with Nigerian officials to design an integrated solution suitable for Nigerian communities, including schools located in remote areas without internet connectivity as well as those where internet is available.

“We are very committed to developing a solution customized for Nigeria. If used properly, with the entire ecosystem in place in a holistic manner, an average teacher will become a good teacher. A good teacher will become a very good teacher. A very good teacher can become a star teacher,” he assured.
End

EU Warns of Rising Foreign Information Manipulation

By: Michael Mike

The European Union has warned that the surge in foreign information manipulation and disinformation poses a growing threat to Nigeria’s democracy, media integrity, and public trust.

The warning was issued on Monday in Abuja during a one-day capacity-building workshop on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) organised for members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN).

Delivering the opening remarks, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot said false or misleading information—whether generated for political influence, commercial benefit, or malicious deception—has become one of the most destabilising forces shaping public discourse globally.

He added that the consequences are particularly severe when disinformation is deliberately designed to deceive and then disseminated to unsuspecting citizens.

He noted that the media remains a pillar of democratic society, and any erosion of its credibility directly threatens governance and social stability. “When people lose faith in such a critical institution, democracy is at risk, and society itself becomes gravely endangered,” he warned.

Mignot stressed that journalists sit at a high-risk intersection within the information chain because they decide what reaches the public. For this reason, he said, they often become primary targets of manipulation campaigns. Once the media is misled, he explained, the entire society becomes vulnerable to deception.

He highlighted the dual role that both journalists and diplomats share in preserving credibility. “If we want to remain reliable, we must ensure that the information we disseminate is accurate,” he added.

The envoy while stating that emerging technologies have made communication faster and more accessible, however warned that they have also created sophisticated tools capable of falsifying or recreating realities with ease.

He noted that deepfakes, doctored videos, manipulated images, and AI-generated content now circulate with a level of authenticity that makes them difficult to distinguish from legitimate information.

He referenced a 2024 report by the European Parliament showing that 85% of people globally are worried about disinformation’s impact on their societies, while 87% believe it has already distorted political life.

Mignot noted that Nigeria faces similar challenges. Citing a 2020 Centre for Democracy and Development report, he said disinformation in the country has grown to unprecedented levels, aggravating existing ethnic and religious divisions. With information now spreading rapidly across text, audio, memes, images, and videos, the nation’s traditional “rumour mill” has gained powerful new tools.

The EU outlined a range of interventions designed to strengthen media literacy and counter disinformation in Nigeria and across West Africa. These include monitoring disinformation campaigns, especially those targeting elections, and enhancing media literacy through nationwide training programmes.

Earlier this year, the EU facilitated fact-checking training for members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Lagos and continued to support Nigeria’s leading fact-checking platforms, including Dubawa. It has also sponsored Nigerian journalists to attend advanced trainings in Europe, including missions to conflict areas such as Ukraine.

Mignot reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to partnering with civil society organisations, media institutions, and youth groups to reinforce public access to credible information.

Mignot revealed that revealed that members of DICAN were chosen for the workshop, as they play a crucial role in interpreting foreign information for domestic audiences. Their reporting on international affairs, including EU activities in Nigeria, places them at a critical junction between global narratives and national understanding.

He acknowledged DICAN’s demonstrated interest in combating disinformation, recalling the association’s earlier engagement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in July.

The EU cautioned that organised disinformation campaigns in West Africa—including those that glamorise anti-democratic actors—continue to erode peace and stability in the region. Nigeria, he said, must remain vigilant against efforts to distort public perception or undermine the credibility of democratic leadership.

The workshop aims to equip journalists with tools to recognise and counter foreign information manipulation, strengthen newsroom verification processes, and improve the resilience of the Nigerian media space.

EU Warns of Rising Foreign Information Manipulation