New York, USA
The African Development Bank Group, the United Nations Development Programme’s AI Hub for Sustainable Development, Google and public-service learning platform Apolitical have launched a free training programme to help African public officials understand and apply artificial intelligence in government work.
The initiative was launched on September 25 on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It is intended to strengthen the capacity of African governments to use AI responsibly in public-service delivery, digital infrastructure, innovation and public-private partnerships.
The training will be delivered through Apolitical’s Government AI Campus, an online learning platform that offers self-paced courses for public servants. Enrolment is free for serving government officials in African Development Bank regional member countries.
Participants will have access to courses including AI Fundamentals for Public Servants: Opportunities, Risks and Strategies, AI Leadership in Government: Building Trust, Skills and an Innovative Culture, and Smarter Procurement with AI.
The courses were developed by Stanford University Online and SDA Bocconi School of Management. Google and Apolitical are providing the learning platform and course content.
The programme comes as African governments seek to expand the use of digital technology to improve service delivery, reduce administrative costs, strengthen planning and widen access to public services. However, policymakers across the continent continue to face challenges related to technical skills, data availability, digital infrastructure, regulation, privacy and public trust.
Ousmane Fall, the African Development Bank Group’s Director for Industrial and Trade Development, said building practical knowledge among government officials was essential if Africa was to benefit from AI.
“AI is changing how we work,” Fall said. “It promises major productivity gains if users fully understand its application. Building that understanding in government has been neglected, and this partnership helps us put that right.”
The training programme is the first step in implementing recommendations from the Bank Group’s report, Africa’s AI Productivity Gain: Pathways to Labour Efficiency, Economic Growth and Inclusive Transformation.
The report projected that inclusive deployment of artificial intelligence could add up to US$1 trillion to Africa’s gross domestic product by 2035. It identified skills development and trusted governance among the key requirements for achieving those potential gains.
The programme is expected to give government officials a foundation in how AI systems work, where they can be used in the public sector, and what safeguards are needed to protect privacy, security, fairness and accountability.
Keyzom Ngodup Massally, Director of the AI Hub for Sustainable Development and UNDP Head of Digital and AI Programmes, said African governments need timely support as AI technologies develop rapidly.
“As the AI landscape continues to evolve, governments across Africa need timely support to strengthen the institutional and technical foundations required to participate meaningfully in the AI economy,” Massally said.
The AI Hub for Sustainable Development is a G7-endorsed initiative co-led by UNDP and Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy. The initiative is aligned with Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, while the African Development Bank Group is a founding member of its Executive Steering Group.
The online courses are designed for civil servants and government officials working in areas related to AI-enabled public services, digital infrastructure, innovation and partnerships with the private sector.
Because the training is self-paced, participants can complete the courses according to their schedules, allowing officials from different institutions and countries to take part without travelling or leaving their jobs for extended periods.
