Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has urged public institutions and organisations across Nigeria to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly while prioritising human accountability, digital skills development and effective policy frameworks.
Speaking at the International Civil Service Conference (ICSC) 2026 held at Eagle Square, the NITDA Director General, who was represented by the Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnership, Dr. Aristotle Onumo disclosed that the Agency has commenced the implementation of a comprehensive AI Transformation Plan aimed at repositioning the organisation for long-term institutional efficiency, continuity, and productivity.
According to him, the three-year transformation initiative is designed to create a digitally driven institution where operations can continue seamlessly irrespective of changes in personnel.
“In NITDA as an agency, we have what we call the AI Transformation Plan. It is a kind of three-year plan which we have put in place so that even if the current staff are replaced completely, new personnel should be able to interact with the system and continue work without hindrance,” he stated.
The NITDA boss explained that the Agency has already integrated AI into its internal workflow processes, particularly in document management and task tracking systems.
He revealed that official documents submitted at the Agency’s premises are now scanned immediately at the gate and automatically routed by AI systems to the responsible officers based on keywords and subject classifications.
According to him, the AI infrastructure also tracks timelines and flags delays whenever officials fail to attend to correspondence within stipulated timeframes.
“All that is required now is to drop documents at the gate. AI scans and routes them to the appropriate officers. If such documents are not treated within the required timeframe, the system flags them and reports accordingly,” he explained.
While acknowledging concerns surrounding AI adoption, especially fears of job displacement within the public service, Inuwa stressed that AI should be viewed as a productivity-enhancing tool rather than a threat to human relevance.
“There is always this fear that AI is coming to take away jobs, especially in the public service. But I want to state clearly that the jobs of people who refuse to upskill themselves may eventually be affected. However, those willing to retrain and adapt will benefit immensely from AI,” he said.
To address workforce transition concerns, the NITDA Director General disclosed that the Agency has commenced AI capacity-building programmes for all staff members.
He explained that personnel previously involved in manual file operations have been redesignated into emerging AI-related functions such as AI assistants and AI administrators.
“We have ensured that everyone undergoes AI training. Those who previously handled manual file operations have now been redesignated as AI assistants and AI administrators. We are preparing our workforce for the future rather than replacing them,” he noted.
The DG further emphasised the importance of maintaining human oversight and accountability in AI deployment, warning against the total removal of human intelligence from governance systems.
“You must not take away human monitoring and accountability in any AI implementation process. At the end of the day, someone must remain accountable,” he cautioned.
Speaking on governance and regulation, he called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to develop internal AI policies capable of defining operational boundaries for the technology.
According to him, AI deployment within government institutions differs significantly from private sector applications because public institutions must bear responsibility for AI-related failures and ethical breaches.
He stressed the need for robust governance frameworks to guide responsible AI usage, protect citizens’ rights and ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
“We must ensure that whatever we use AI for aligns with data protection regulations and responsible use principles. Without proper frameworks, data misuse could become more prevalent and destructive,” he warned.
The NITDA boss also highlighted the Agency’s broader efforts toward national AI adoption following the development of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, which he described as one of the country’s most forward-looking digital policy frameworks.
He disclosed that NITDA is currently using the Agency as a practical AI sandbox to test implementation models ahead of wider deployment across the public service ecosystem.
As part of efforts to deepen digital capacity across government institutions, he revealed that NITDA is collaborating with the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to train civil servants in digital literacy and AI-related competencies.
He reiterated that the future workforce must embrace continuous learning and adaptability to remain relevant in an increasingly AI-driven world.
“AI has not come to replace people completely. But those who refuse to develop their skills may struggle to fit into the evolving technology ecosystem,” he concluded.
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