The National Information Technology Development Agency has called on public institutions across the country to embrace Artificial Intelligence driven transformation while ensuring strong human oversight, ethical governance and continuous digital skills development within the civil service.
Speaking at the International Civil Service Conference 2026 in Abuja, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by Aristotle Onumo, disclosed that the agency had already commenced a three year AI Transformation Plan aimed at improving institutional efficiency, continuity and productivity. According to him, the initiative was designed to ensure seamless operations even when personnel changes occur within government institutions.
Inuwa explained that NITDA had already integrated AI into its internal operations, particularly in document management and workflow tracking. He said official documents submitted at the agency are now scanned automatically and routed to appropriate officers through AI systems capable of identifying keywords and subject areas, while also monitoring response timelines and flagging delays for accountability purposes. He added that staff members previously involved in manual processes were being retrained and redesignated into AI related roles as part of the agency’s workforce transition strategy.
The NITDA boss, however, warned that Artificial Intelligence must not replace human accountability within governance systems, stressing the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies to develop internal AI policies and regulatory frameworks aligned with data protection and responsible use principles. He also disclosed that NITDA was collaborating with the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to deepen digital literacy and AI competencies across the public service as part of efforts to prepare civil servants for the evolving digital economy.