BPSR, IMPR Train Public Officers on AI-Driven Strategic Communication in Kano
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr. Ibrahim Arabi, has urged Public Relations and Information Officers across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) and strategic communication as critical tools for advancing government reforms, stressing that the success of public sector transformation depends largely on citizens’ understanding, trust and active participation.
Dr. Arabi made the call at the opening of a week-long executive workshop on “Strategic Communication and the Dimension of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Public Sector Communication,” organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in collaboration with Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) at the Dangote Business School, Bayero University, Kano.
The workshop brought together communication professionals from federal and state MDAs, public institutions and government agencies across Nigeria to strengthen communication leadership and enhance the application of emerging technologies in public sector communication.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Arabi said government information managers must evolve beyond their traditional roles to become strategic communicators, reputation managers, public educators and behavioural change facilitators capable of translating government policies and reform initiatives into messages that citizens can easily understand and support.
According to him, many reform programmes fail not because they are poorly conceived but because the public is inadequately informed about their objectives and benefits.
“Public service reforms succeed not only because policies are well designed, but because citizens understand them, trust them and see their impact in everyday life,” he said.
The BPSR Director-General observed that rapid technological advancement, rising public expectations, misinformation and fake news have transformed the communication landscape, making innovation indispensable for government communicators.
He urged participants to design data-driven communication strategies, identify target audiences, monitor public perception and leverage Artificial Intelligence to improve the speed, reach and responsiveness of government communication while maintaining ethical standards.
Dr. Arabi identified key Federal Government reform initiatives—including the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), digital transformation, innovation, performance management and capacity building—as areas requiring effective communication to sustain public confidence.
He disclosed that the Bureau has trained communication officers from more than 400 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in strategic communication, crisis communication, AI applications and reform messaging as part of efforts to strengthen institutional capacity.
He added that BPSR is promoting the adoption of emerging technologies such as machine learning, robotic process automation, blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT) to accelerate digital transformation across Nigeria’s public service.
Dr. Arabi encouraged participants to deploy Artificial Intelligence responsibly while upholding accountability, inclusiveness, professional ethics and data protection principles.
Kano Government Highlights AI Opportunities
Declaring the workshop open, the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, described Artificial Intelligence as a transformative tool capable of revolutionising information dissemination, public engagement and content development within government institutions.
While acknowledging the enormous opportunities presented by AI, the commissioner cautioned against its misuse, warning of risks such as misinformation, privacy breaches, algorithmic bias and cybersecurity threats.
He stressed that Artificial Intelligence should complement—not replace—human judgment and professional ethics in public communication.
Waiya disclosed that the Kano State Government has established a Digital Multimedia Department within the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs to strengthen digital communication and equip information officers with the skills required to deploy emerging technologies effectively.
IMPR Calls for Strategic, Proactive Communication
Chairman of the Board of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) and Associate Professor of Strategic Communication, Prof. Sule Yau Sule, urged communication officers to be strategic, innovative, accurate and proactive in communicating government programmes and reforms.
He warned that the growing spread of misinformation and disinformation across digital platforms poses serious threats to public trust, stressing that government communicators must anticipate and counter false narratives before they gain traction.
Experts Advocate Responsible AI Adoption
Delivering one of the lead presentations, Strategy Consultant and Managing Partner of Stradia Africa, Mr. Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad, encouraged participants to harness Artificial Intelligence to improve productivity and public service communication.
He commended the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for developing ServiceWise GPT, a customised AI platform designed to support civil servants with policy alignment, compliance and secure access to official information.
Mr. Ahmad, however, cautioned public officers against uploading classified government documents to publicly available AI platforms, advising them to use sample materials where necessary and always validate AI-generated outputs through human judgment.
He also urged participants to provide clear context, precise instructions and defined roles when prompting AI tools in order to obtain accurate and reliable responses.
Practical Sessions on AI and Digital Communication
The workshop featured intensive practical sessions on Artificial Intelligence, digital communication, media monitoring, fact-checking and open-source intelligence.
Facilitators included renowned communication and technology experts such as Ali Isa Musa, Mallam Yushau Shuaib, Dr. Celestine Achi, Nasir B. Mohammed, Muhammed Dahiru and Safiya Daba.
Among dignitaries present at the opening ceremony were the Head of the Department of Information and Media Studies, Bayero University, Prof. Nura Ibrahim; the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Image Merchants Promotion Limited, Mallam Yushau Shuaib; and Dr. Bala Mohammed of the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano.
The organisers said the training is designed to equip public communication professionals with the knowledge and digital skills required to strengthen strategic communication, enhance public trust and accelerate digital transformation across Nigeria’s public service.
By PRNigeria
