Women professionals in Abuja’s development and public service sectors have commenced a two-day Artificial Intelligence (AI) training aimed at enhancing efficiency and service delivery.
The training is in line with this year’s International Women’s Month theme, “Give To Gain.”
The training, titled “AI for Women in Development and Public Sector,” is organised by Africa Hub for Innovation and Development in collaboration with the National Centre for AI and Robotics and the University of Toronto AI Lab.
It brings together participants from government institutions, non-governmental organisations, and other development-focused groups.
Public Health Physician, AI and Emerging Technologies Specialist in the Health and Social Sector, Dr Kunle Kankanfo led participants through introductory sessions designed to simplify the concept of artificial intelligence and its growing relevance in everyday work.
According to him, ” only 21% of women in Nigeria are AI literates, therefore, this initiative will contribute to the AI Knowledge growth in Nigeria. Our programs will train women to be AI engineers and Innovators”.
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Divided into 2 cohorts, 2days for each cohort, the training focused on helping participants understand how AI tools can support tasks such as report writing, information analysis, and idea generation, while also highlighting the need for careful human review of AI-generated content.
A key highlight of the training was the interactive breakout sessions, where participants were grouped and engaged in hands-on practical exercises on AI prompt engineering. These sessions allowed participants to learn how to effectively communicate with AI tools by asking the right questions to generate useful and accurate responses.
Elizabeth Orji, a facilitator at the faculty of AI for Women in Development and Public Service at the Africa Hub for Innovation and Development, expressed her satisfaction in the output of participants in their capstone projects.
Through real-life scenarios, participants practiced using AI to tackle common workplace tasks, including drafting reports and developing solutions to organisational challenges.
One out of five contestants won a 50,000 Naira cash prize for creating an assistant that helps lawyers’ argument in court. 2nd and 3rd runners up, were given a consolation prize of 10dollars each by Dr Kunle Kankanfo.
During a sample of opinions from some of the participants, many described the experience as insightful and empowering, noting that the practical approach helped them better understand how AI can be responsibly integrated into their daily work.
The training, AI for Women in Development and Public Service is part of ongoing efforts to equip women with digital skills and ensure they remain competitive in an increasingly technology-driven world, while also contributing to improved public service delivery.