Google And Nigeria Launch AI Campus To Train Public Servants
The Nigerian government is working with Google and Apolitical, a global learning platform for government innovation, to launch a training initiative for public servants. The initiative, called the AI Government Campus, will be implemented through the Apolitical Government AI Campus. It aims to train thousands of public servants and government leaders to understand and apply artificial intelligence in public administration effectively, as reported by Techpoint Africa.
The initiative is a joint effort between Google, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), and Apolitical.
“We see artificial intelligence as a major driver of productivity across our key sectors,” he said. “We are putting resources into ensuring AI becomes native to our civil service — to accelerate the time we spend on processes and to deliver better outcomes for citizens,” Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said at the launch event in Abuja.
The AI Government Campus
The platform will give public servants courses covering AI fundamentals, ethical frameworks, and leadership applications for AI in government. The partnership forms part of Google’s broader initiative to build AI capacity across Africa, following previous investments in education, AI research, and innovation hubs in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya.
“This initiative will equip Nigerian public servants with the capability to lead digital transformation with confidence and foresight,” Chris Ferguson, Vice President at Apolitical, said.
Google expanding AI in Africa
Google has launched several initiatives aimed at expanding AI in Africa. It recently announced a $37 million investment to enhance food security and expand digital access in local languages, with $25 million allocated to an AI Collaborative for Food Security.
The program aims to safeguard millions of smallholder farmers against damaging economic and environmental shocks by leveraging AI in early warning systems and tailoring agricultural guidance. Google.org, Google’s charitable arm, also announced a $2 million fund to the South African tech academy WeThinkCode_.
The programs will provide 12,000 learners in South Africa and Kenya with the necessary tools to succeed in the job market. WeThinkCode_ bridges the gap by providing training to unemployed youth from low-income backgrounds, helping them become software engineers.
Image: Desola Lanre-Ologun
