UNESCO and Nigeria Kick Off AI Literacy Program for Senior Civil Servants

TL;DR: UNESCO and Nigeria begin a three‑day AI literacy program for senior civil servants, aiming to embed ethical AI use into public administration.

Context On May 6–8, 2026, UNESCO partnered with the Nigerian government to deliver an intensive AI literacy workshop for senior civil servants. The event aligns with Nigeria’s National AI Strategy and Digital Economy Plan, which seek to harness artificial intelligence for productivity gains in education, health, security and public service delivery.

Key Facts - The training adopts a “train‑the‑trainers” model, ensuring that knowledge spreads across ministries, departments and agencies after the three‑day session. - UNESCO’s Head of Education Sector in Abuja, Oladeji Adeyemi, emphasized that AI skills now equate to economic readiness, positioning the initiative as essential for a competitive digital economy. - Federal Civil Service Head Didi Esther Walson‑Jack warned that unregulated AI can generate bias, privacy breaches, misinformation and weak accountability, making literacy a priority for officials. - Participants were introduced to Service Wise GPT, a support tool designed to augment, not replace, human judgment in planning and service delivery. - The program is framed as a strategic component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which targets efficiency, transparency and digital transformation in governance.

What It Means Equipping senior officials with AI fundamentals aims to reduce the risk of unchecked technology deployment while unlocking efficiency gains. By embedding ethical guidelines from UNESCO’s responsible AI framework, the civil service hopes to set a benchmark for other African nations navigating AI adoption. The cascade model promises a ripple effect: trained officers will mentor peers, gradually embedding AI competence throughout the public sector.

Watch for the rollout of AI‑enabled services in ministries and the measurement of policy outcomes linked to the training’s recommendations.