Work efficiency: NASS trains 3,841 staff on AI, other skills

The National Assembly is deploying artificial intelligence (AI) training to improve legislative efficiency and service delivery, with 3,841 staff members targeted for capacity development.

This development is coming as the proposed pension reform for NASS staff awaits consideration by the House of Representatives after passage by the Senate.

Speaking at the opening of a training programme for legislative staff on Tuesday in Abuja, Executive Director of Research Enterprise Systems (RES), Prof. Fatai Aremu said the programme would equip participants with practical skills in artificial intelligence, team building and financial management.

The training is themed: “Enhancing professional competence of staff for effective legislative support and institutional excellence.”

Prof. Aremu explained that AI could assist legislative staff in preparing bills, speeches, technical reports and research materials, potentially improving the speed and efficiency of their work.

He, however, cautioned that staff needed to understand the technology’s limitations and associated risks, particularly when using AI-generated content for official purposes.

“Staff need to understand that, yes, you can get content from various AI platforms and AI agents, but at the same time, you also need to know that there are limits to it,” Aremu said.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that staff members could assess AI-generated information appropriately rather than relying on the technology without understanding its limitations.

Aremu said the training would also address the tendency of officers to work in silos, noting that effective collaboration and teamwork were essential to improving institutional performance.

He added that participants would receive updates on financial management instructions, which change periodically, to strengthen their competence and ensure compliance with applicable procedures.

According to him, the training would continue beyond the current exercise, as lasting improvements in staff performance required sustained learning rather than a one-off intervention.

“It is a continuous training. When you train one-off like this, you don’t expect magic to happen. You have to build on it, keep on building on it, and it’s a continuous exercise,” he said.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana in a keynote address explained that the programme was designed to strengthen staff capacity, improve productivity and enhance service delivery to the legislature and the country.

Represented by the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development of the National Assembly, Administrator Essien Eyo Essien, he disclosed that the training exercise was meant for 3,841 total number of National Assembly staff currently on the payroll, adding that management intended to ensure that every staff member benefited from the exercise.

According to him, the programme followed a separate training exercise for 3,050 legislative aides, which was completed in August this year.

Ogunlana disclosed that about 750 staff members were participating in the current session, with participants divided between two training halls.at the Abuja A Class Event Center.

On the proposed pension reform, he disclosed that the legislation had been passed by the Senate the previous week and was awaiting consideration by the House of Representatives.

“The Senate has passed it as of last week. The House is expected to pass it this week. So I don’t want to jump the gun for now,” he said.

He declined to provide further details, explaining that the legislative process had yet to be completed.

He added that no new pension law had taken effect, pending the completion of the process by the National Assembly.

Ogunlana stressed the need for a pension arrangement that would guarantee workers confidence and dignity in retirement, saying years of service to the legislature should not end in anxiety about life after retirement.

“A staff member’s years of service should culminate not in anxiety about retirement, but in the confidence that their contributions have been valued and that appropriate arrangements exist to support their transition from active service,” he said.

The Clerk reaffirmed management’s commitment to staff welfare, career development and improved working conditions, while acknowledging the roles of the National Assembly leadership and the National Assembly Service Commission in advancing workers’ interests.

He urged staff members to reciprocate the institution’s commitment to their welfare through professionalism, discipline, integrity and dedication to duty.

Assessing staff performance, Ogunlana said personnel had made efforts to contribute to the country’s democratic process but acknowledged that there was room for improvement.

He described capacity development as a continuous process requiring regular training, self-development and personal commitment.

The Clerk said the success of the programme would ultimately be measured by improvements in staff knowledge, productivity and service delivery rather than the number of training sessions completed or certificates issued.

The Director of Training and Staff Development, Ike-Chinwo Justina, disclosed that the a comprehensive capacity-building programme for all its staff from Grade Level 04 to 17, with the training scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.

Commending the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, and his management team for prioritising staff development, she said the programme was designed to strengthen professional competence, improve administrative efficiency and enhance the quality of legislative support.

She noted that the training exercise would refresh participants’ knowledge of legislative procedures, sharpen their technical and administrative skills, and encourage the use of technology in carrying out their responsibilities.

She described legislative staff as critical to the effective functioning of the National Assembly, stressing that the competence, professionalism and institutional memory of the bureaucracy were as important as the work of elected lawmakers.

She, thereby urged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the training to their daily responsibilities, adding that the management was committed to sustained capacity building across all cadres.