The Yobe State Government has reiterated its commitment to modernising the public service through deployment of Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies to enhance efficiency and service delivery.

The state’s Head of the Civil Service, Tonga Bularafa, stated this at the opening of a capacity-building workshop on Artificial Intelligence in Damaturu on Tuesday.

The workshop was organised by Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BioRTC) of Yobe State University.

Mr Bularafa, who described the occasion as historic and transformative, said that it aligned with the state government’s drive to equip civil servants with modern digital competencies.

He said, “This initiative reflects our collective commitment to modernising the public service and equipping our civil servants with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the digital era.’’

The head of service commended Governor Mai Mala Buni for his visionary leadership and sustained investment in innovation, science and digital transformation.

He urged the participants to fully engage with the workshop, assimilating the insights, strategies and tools shared.

He said, “Make sure you apply them meaningfully to the day-to-day activities of our public service.’’

Mr Bularafa expressed appreciation to the Secretary to the State Government, the BioRTC team and all facilitators for making the workshop a reality.

In his remarks, the Director of Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre, Prof. Mahmoud Maina, said that the programme marked the culmination of years of investments in scientific capacity building in the state.

“We are indeed in the age of AI. This workshop brings together top civil servants in the state to explore how emerging technologies—especially artificial intelligence—can be harnessed to improve governance, efficiency and service delivery,” he said.

Mr Maina also lauded the Buni-led administration for its unwavering support over the years which, he said, had placed the state on the global map for scientific innovation.

He stated, “Yobe is now a pioneer in biomedical and digital research at the sub-national level in Nigeria. This is a remarkable achievement for all of us.’’

(NAN)