The Government Affairs Director, Microsoft West Africa, Nonye Ujam, has identified Nigeria’s public service workforce as the critical driver of the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) ambition, arguing that investment in the skills of policymakers and civil servants would determine whether AI becomes a catalyst of national development or not.

Ujam said countries making the fastest progress in AI evolution were not necessarily those with the most advanced countries, but those that invested early in building institutional capacity within government.

According to her, Microsoft’s research shows that successful AI-driven countries introduced AI into public administration long before generative AI became mainstream, embedding it in governance and public service delivery through a gradual, structured process.

She added that studies indicate AI improves efficiency, accountability and public service delivery only when government officials possess sufficient knowledge to oversee implementation, coordinate across agencies and make informed policy decisions.

Public sector leaders do not need to become technologists, but they do require sufficient fluency to design effective policies, assess risk and guide innovation with confidence,Microsoft West Africa” Ujam said.

She said that while many governments are experimenting with AI through pilot projects, inadequate AI literacy among civil servants often prevents such initiatives from expanding into sustainable national programmes.

Ujam said the country’s National AI Strategy reflects a commitment to ethical and inclusive AI built on local talent, effective governance and strategic partnerships. However, she observed that AI adoption in 2025 remained modest, with shortages of skilled professionals in areas such as data engineering, machine learning and system optimisation.