The Lagos State Government has urged senior civil servants to embrace artificial intelligence (AI), emotional intelligence and transformational leadership to strengthen governance and improve public service delivery.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Establishments and Training, Dr Olubusola Abidakun, gave the charge on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day executive development programme focused on the three areas. She spoke through her representative, Adedolapo Ajayi.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Administration, Biodun Akindele, Ajayi said the programme was designed to prepare senior public officers for emerging changes in public administration and equip them with the knowledge needed to improve their performance.
She urged participants to engage actively with facilitators, ask questions and apply the lessons from the training to their official responsibilities, stressing that adapting to change was essential to effective governance.
One of the facilitators, Prof Ogechi Adeola, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Kigali, Rwanda, said the programme would examine the ethical and responsible application of AI in public administration.
Adeola explained that civil servants needed to understand the technology before deploying it in government operations. She added that the sessions would explore the infrastructure and enabling environment required for effective AI adoption in Lagos State.
She said participants would draw lessons from countries such as Rwanda, Estonia and Singapore, identifying successful practices that could be adapted to Nigeria’s public service while considering the differences in their operating environments.
Adeola also highlighted the potential of emerging technologies to address public-sector challenges, including the use of AI-enabled drones in healthcare. Representatives of medical delivery technology company Zipline were expected to share practical experiences during the programme.
Another facilitator, Prof Olusoji George, Executive Officer and Senior Partner at J. Soji-George Consultants (Nig.) Ltd., emphasised the role of emotional intelligence in effective public-sector leadership.
George said senior civil servants needed self-awareness, social awareness and motivation to better understand citizens’ concerns and respond appropriately to issues affecting them.
He added that transformational leadership required gradual changes in mindset and behaviour, noting that lasting improvements could not be achieved by expecting public officers to abandon established practices overnight.
George disclosed that the impact of the training would be assessed after 90 days to determine how effectively participants had applied the knowledge gained to their work.
