Tech2Grassroots Africa Trains Kwara Civil Servants On Artificial Intelligence

Tech2Grassroots Africa has organised a two-day Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy and Digital Proficiency Masterclass for civil servants across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Kwara State as part of efforts to strengthen digital capacity and improve productivity in the public service.

The training, titled “AI Literacy and Digital Proficiency for Civil Service Productivity”, was held on Thursday, 5th and Friday, 6th November 2026, at the Kwara Innovation Lab, Kwara State Library Complex, Ilorin.

The programme, powered by Tech2Grassroots Africa, brought together 49 civil servants from various MDAs across the state, including senior officers occupying strategic positions in the public service.

Speaking at the training, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Tech2Grassroots Africa, Mr. Oludele Ayobami, described civil servants as the backbone of government operations, stressing the need for continuous training and capacity development to enable them to keep pace with technological advancements and evolving workplace demands.

He noted that the programme was designed to equip participants with practical digital skills and expose them to the application of artificial intelligence in improving administrative processes and workplace efficiency.

He explained that participants engaged in practical demonstrations, interactive discussions and collaborative group exercises.

During the group exercise, five teams identified administrative and institutional challenges and proposed technology-driven solutions, with one of the teams developing a smart Excel spreadsheet as a practical output.

He urged participants to uphold three essential values, competence, confidence and communication, describing them as important qualities for effective professional performance and improved service delivery.

He further noted that equipping public servants with relevant digital skills would enhance their professional competence, improve efficiency and strengthen their ability to discharge official responsibilities effectively.

The first day of the masterclass featured sessions on Prompt Engineering for Civil Servants and Creating an AI Brain, focusing on the effective application of artificial intelligence in official duties and the development of AI-assisted systems to support workplace productivity.

The second day featured sessions on Personal AI Executive Assistant, From Raw Data to Smart Decisions and Digital Content Creation and Professional Visibility, exposing participants to practical applications of AI in information processing, decision-making, digital communication and professional development.

Participants were encouraged to translate the knowledge and practical skills acquired during the training into measurable improvements in their respective workplaces by integrating appropriate AI tools into their daily official responsibilities.

In his contribution, Professor Tayo Obielodan of the Department of Educational Technology, University of Ilorin, cautioned against excessive reliance on artificial intelligence, emphasising the importance of human judgement, critical thinking and professional expertise in the application of emerging technologies.

He explained that artificial intelligence should be regarded as an assistant that supports human efforts, accelerates work processes and enhances productivity rather than a replacement for human intelligence and professional responsibility.

In another session, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sqaleup Inc., Imam Abubakar, delivered a presentation on the continuous evolution of technology and the growing importance of artificial intelligence in professional and organisational activities.

He encouraged participants to recognise the changing technological landscape and appreciate the increasing relevance of AI in modern workplaces.

Other facilitators included Mr Oluwasegun Olakunle, Mr Joshua and Mr James, among others.

The initiative underscores the growing importance of digital skills and technological adaptation in modern public administration, particularly in preparing civil servants to respond effectively to the changing demands of public service delivery.

The programme also highlighted the need for continuous capacity development, innovation and responsible adoption of emerging technologies to build a more efficient, digitally competent and productivity-driven public service.