NITDA Unveils AI Transformation Plan, Pushes Responsible Adoption in Public Service

“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." Inuwa

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 ensuring human accountability, digital skills development and strong governance frameworks remain central to deployment strategies.

Speaking at the International Civil Service Conference (ICSC) 2026 held at Eagle Square, Abuja, Inuwa, represented by the Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnership at NITDA, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, revealed that the Agency had commenced the implementation of a comprehensive three-year AI Transformation Plan aimed at repositioning the institution for long-term operational efficiency and continuity.

According to him, the initiative is designed to create a digitally driven institution capable of sustaining seamless operations irrespective of personnel changes.

“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 disclosed that the Agency has already integrated AI into its internal workflow systems, particularly in document management and task tracking processes.

He explained that official documents submitted at the Agency’s premises are now scanned immediately upon arrival and automatically routed by AI systems to appropriate officers based on identified keywords and subject classifications.

“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 said.

Addressing concerns over job losses linked to AI adoption, Inuwa maintained that the technology should be seen as a productivity-enhancing tool rather than a threat to workers.

“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.

He further disclosed that NITDA has launched agency-wide AI training programmes for staff members, adding that workers whose traditional duties are being transformed by automation are being reassigned into emerging AI-related roles.

“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 also stressed the importance of maintaining human oversight in AI deployment, warning against removing accountability 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.

On regulation and governance, he called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to establish internal AI policies capable of defining operational boundaries for the technology.

According to him, government institutions must adopt stricter safeguards because they bear responsibility for any ethical breaches or operational failures arising from AI deployment.

“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.

Inuwa also highlighted NITDA’s broader push for 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 added that the Agency is currently using its internal operations as a practical AI sandbox to test implementation models before wider deployment across the public service ecosystem.

The NITDA DG further disclosed that the Agency 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 the need for continuous learning and adaptability among workers in the face of evolving technology trends.

“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.