The Nigerian government, in a significant collaborative effort with Google and Apolitical, has launched a pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) training initiative aimed at empowering its public servants. This program, officially named the AI Government Campus, seeks to integrate AI as a fundamental tool for enhancing governance and public administration across the country's civil service. Delivered through the Apolitical Government AI Campus, the initiative is designed to educate thousands of public servants and government leaders on understanding, applying, and leading with AI in their respective roles.

The partnership brings together Google, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), and Apolitical, a renowned global learning platform dedicated to government innovation. Speaking at the launch event held in Abuja, Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, underscored the transformative potential of AI. He emphasized that AI is perceived as a critical driver of productivity across Nigeria's key sectors, affirming the government's commitment to embed AI within the civil service to streamline processes and achieve superior outcomes for citizens.

Adewolu Adene, Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager for West Africa, addressed skepticism regarding Nigeria's focus on AI amidst other pressing issues. He argued that the true risk lies not in AI itself, but in failing to seize the opportunities it presents. Adene illustrated AI's capacity to boost productivity and improve public service delivery without necessitating massive budgets or complex infrastructure, citing an example of a Brazilian city that developed a virtual assistant for citizen engagement in just 49 days.

Chris Ferguson, Vice President at Apolitical, highlighted the indispensable role of structured training in fostering responsible AI adoption. He stated that the initiative is poised to equip Nigerian public servants with the necessary capabilities to confidently and foresightfully lead digital transformation efforts. The Apolitical platform will offer a curriculum covering essential AI fundamentals, ethical frameworks for AI use, and practical leadership applications of AI within governmental contexts.

Adene further elaborated on Google's overarching goal: to ensure that advanced technology is accessible not only to the private sector but also to the policymakers who are instrumental in shaping Nigeria's future. He stressed that by collaborating closely with public sector leaders, Google aims to provide both technical tools and crucial knowledge to facilitate smarter, more inclusive governance.

This initiative is part of Google's broader strategic commitment to bolster AI capacity across the African continent, building on previous investments in education, AI research, and innovation hubs established in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. Prior to this new training program, Google had already taken several steps to cultivate AI skills in Nigeria. Notably, in October 2024, Google allocated ₦2.8 billion in grants specifically to advance AI talent development nationwide. These grants support programs such as DeepTech Ready Upskilling, which targets 20,000 Nigerians for comprehensive training in data science and AI, and Experience AI, designed to empower 125,000 students through educators teaching AI concepts. More recently, Google has granted university students in Nigeria and four other African nations free, year-long access to its premium AI tools, thereby fostering a pipeline of young talent familiar with advanced AI before their entry into government service.

Ultimately, the success of the AI Government Campus will hinge on several critical factors: the ability of public servants to practically apply their newfound knowledge, the sustained commitment of ministries to allocate resources, and the realization of measurable improvements in government operations for the benefit of Nigerian citizens.