Nigeria’s Public Complaints Commission (PCC), the country’s ombudsman institution, has commenced a comprehensive capacity-building programme on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and electronic complaint management for its officers across the North-Central geopolitical zone.
The initiative is part of the Commission’s broader efforts to modernise its operations, accelerate the resolution of complaints and improve the quality of services provided to citizens.
The training, facilitated by Instincts Resources Nigeria Limited, is being conducted in phases from August 4 to 6 and August 10 to 13, 2026. It brings together officers from the Commission’s various state offices across the North-Central region.
The programme is designed to equip PCC personnel with contemporary technological and administrative skills required to manage complaints more efficiently and deliver services in line with international best practices.
Among the major areas covered during the training are organisational productivity, technology-driven workplace performance, artificial intelligence applications, electronic complaint management systems, records management, data analytics, cybersecurity, ethical considerations and strategic implementation of e-complaint platforms.
The participants are also being exposed to modern approaches to data-driven decision-making, automated complaint tracking, electronic document management and other digital tools capable of improving the efficiency of the Commission’s operations.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Chief Commissioner of the PCC, Hon. Bashir Abubakar, described the training as an important milestone in the Commission’s ongoing reform and modernisation programme.
Abubakar said the rapid development of technology had made digital transformation indispensable for public institutions seeking to remain efficient, transparent and responsive to citizens.
According to him, the PCC is committed to adopting technology-driven systems that would help reduce delays in the handling of complaints and ensure that citizens receive timely responses to their grievances.
“Digital transformation is no longer an option but a necessity for every modern public institution,” he said.
The Chief Commissioner explained that Artificial Intelligence and electronic complaint management systems were increasingly becoming central to modern Ombudsman practice.
He stressed the need for PCC officers to acquire the necessary knowledge and practical skills to deploy such technologies effectively, noting that technological competence would ultimately improve the Commission’s ability to discharge its responsibilities.
Abubakar further identified staff development as a key priority of his administration, arguing that continuous training was essential to ensuring that employees could adapt to changing demands in public administration.
He noted that the effective deployment of technology could help eliminate administrative bottlenecks, improve case management, strengthen records management and enhance the Commission’s capacity to protect citizens from administrative injustice.
Also speaking at the programme, the Commissioner in charge of the Federal Capital Territory Office, Hon. Musa Dikko, commended the leadership of the Commission for organising the training.
Dikko described the initiative as timely and strategic, particularly at a period when public institutions are increasingly relying on digital systems to improve accessibility, accountability and service delivery.
He said the programme was consistent with the statutory responsibilities of the PCC, which include investigating complaints arising from the administrative actions of public institutions and promoting fairness, accountability and administrative justice.
According to him, adopting technology-driven complaint management systems would make it easier for citizens to submit and monitor complaints while also helping officers maintain accurate records and conduct investigations more efficiently.
Dikko added that digital platforms could enhance transparency by allowing complaints to be tracked systematically, reducing the risk of cases being delayed or lost within administrative processes.
The consultant facilitating the programme, Instincts Resources Nigeria Limited, said the training had been structured to combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
The firm explained that participants would take part in interactive lectures, practical demonstrations, case studies, simulations and hands-on exercises designed to help them understand how modern technologies can be applied to their daily responsibilities.
Through the practical sessions, officers are expected to develop greater proficiency in the use of AI tools, workplace productivity applications, electronic document management systems and automated complaint-tracking platforms.
They are also expected to gain a better understanding of data analytics, cybersecurity, ethical issues surrounding the use of artificial intelligence and the effective management of electronic complaints.
The Commission said the North-Central training represents one component of its wider institutional transformation strategy aimed at building a technologically skilled workforce capable of providing faster, more transparent and citizen-centred services.
The initiative is also expected to improve coordination among the PCC’s various state offices within the region and create a more standardised approach to the management and resolution of complaints.
With the increasing volume and complexity of complaints received by public institutions, the Commission believes that digital tools will play a critical role in improving its ability to respond effectively to citizens.
The adoption of electronic complaint management is expected to reduce dependence on manual processes, improve the tracking of cases from submission to resolution and provide officers with easier access to relevant records and information.
The PCC also expects the use of data-driven systems to help identify recurring administrative challenges and provide useful insights that could support better decision-making and institutional reforms.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to continuously improving the skills of its personnel and embracing innovations that would strengthen the Ombudsman system in Nigeria.
It said the ultimate objective of the initiative was to ensure that citizens could access the Commission more easily and receive timely, fair and effective responses to legitimate complaints.
The North-Central training, therefore, marks another step in the PCC’s efforts to reposition itself as a modern, technology-driven institution capable of responding effectively to the changing expectations of Nigerians and delivering stronger administrative justice across the country.