The Lagos State Government has trained senior civil servants on artificial intelligence (AI) governance, ethical technology adoption and transformational leadership as part of efforts to improve public service delivery and productivity.

The two-day Executive Development Programme, organised by the Office of the Head of Service in collaboration with the Ministry of Establishments and Training, was themed: “Executive Leadership MasterClass in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance and Economic Transformation (AI-GET).”

The programme, anchored by J. Soji-George Consulting Nigeria Limited in partnership with the University of Kigali, Rwanda, was held at the Education Resource Centre, Ojodu, Lagos.

Declaring the programme open, the Director of Administration, Ministry of Establishments and Training, Adedolapo Ajayi, who represented the Commissioner, Afolabi Ayantayo, and the Permanent Secretary, Olubusola Abidakun, urged participants to maximise the opportunity to acquire knowledge that would enhance their professional effectiveness.

He encouraged the participants to engage actively, ask questions and apply the lessons learnt to improve their contributions to governance.

Speaking at the opening session, the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Partner of J. Soji-George Consulting Nigeria Limited, Prof. Olusoji George, stressed the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership, particularly among senior public servants responsible for decisions affecting citizens.

He said effective leadership required self-awareness, social awareness, motivation and an understanding of the emotional climate within society.

According to him, public officials must consider citizens’ concerns and perceptions when formulating and implementing policies, warning that failure to understand public sentiment could undermine government initiatives and erode public trust.

George noted that senior civil servants constituted the backbone of the public service and had moved beyond tactical responsibilities to strategic roles requiring sound judgment, empathy and responsiveness.

He added that transforming the civil service required a gradual change in mindset, noting that established attitudes and practices could not be altered overnight.

On the second day, participants engaged in practical sessions on AI applications, data generation and the ethical use of emerging technologies.

George explained that participants were taught how to use AI tools responsibly, stressing that technology should complement, rather than replace, human intelligence and critical thinking.

He cited the need to provide clear, context-specific instructions when using AI, noting that recommendations generated for other cities might not adequately reflect Lagos’s population, peculiarities and administrative needs.

The consultant expressed appreciation to the commissioner for supporting the initiative, adding that the programme formed part of a broader executive development series aimed at building transformational leaders.

He said the organisers would monitor participants’ performance through a 90-day challenge, including interviews with their immediate supervisors, to assess improvements in productivity and application of the training.

George added that participants were expected to transfer the knowledge acquired to their subordinates, ensuring that the programme’s benefits extended beyond those directly involved.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Enterprise, University of Kigali, Rwanda, Prof. Ogechi Adeola, stressed the need for adequate infrastructure to support ethical and effective artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in Lagos State.

Adeola said public officials needed the requisite knowledge to deploy AI responsibly and formulate policies that address infrastructural challenges, including unreliable electricity supply.

She said the programme examined successful AI adoption models in Estonia, Rwanda and Singapore to identify lessons applicable to Lagos.

Adeola added that participants would also explore how AI-powered drone technology could improve healthcare delivery.

Other resource persons include Dean, School of Economics, Finance and Accounting, University of Kigali and Professor of AI and Natural Language Processing, University of Lagos, Victor Odumuyiwa.