Zambia's AI training for public officials

Zambia's SMART Zambia Institute and Huawei have announced a five-day training session starting November 2, 2026, aimed at decision-makers, IT managers, and technical experts from public institutions. The training, led by Chinese specialists, will cover topics such as language models, query formulation, and AI agents, with the goal of modernizing public administration and improving service quality.

Nigeria's focus on work efficiency

In Nigeria, a UNESCO consultation with 330 civil servants found that work efficiency was the top expected benefit of AI, surpassing improvements in public services. Following this, UNESCO organized training sessions in February 2025 for 80 civil servants, combining service design, project management, and data protection with cybersecurity.

South Africa's multilingual chatbot

South Africa introduced the Batho Pele chatbot in August 2026 to provide access to circulars, legislative texts, and public policy updates in nine official languages. The tool, presented by Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, aims to reduce the time spent searching for information and improve responses to citizens.

AI in public procurement

Public procurement is also being targeted for AI training. A pan-African initiative launched in September 2025 by the African Development Bank (AfDB), with UNDP, Google, and Apolitical, includes a course on AI in public procurement, along with fundamentals and strategies for institutional adoption.

Ghana's training on procurement and risks

Ghana's UNESCO program in June 2026 brought together 133 participants from over 30 ministries and organizations. The training covered public procurement, pre-evaluation of solutions, and risks related to biases, disinformation, and surveillance, aiming to improve transparency and accountability.

Kenya's long-term AI integration

Kenya is working to embed AI skills into the professional development of public officials. A UNESCO report from October 26 noted that 1,239 officials completed a course designed with Oxford and offered by the Kenya School of Government, with plans to train an additional 9,000. Authorities aim to link these skills to recruitment, leadership, and ongoing training.

Uncertain impact of AI training

While the training programs reflect a growing effort to prepare public administrations for AI integration, their actual impact on service efficiency remains unclear. For example, a Kenya report did not specify reductions in administrative errors or time savings achieved through the training.