AFRICAN SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY

OSUEBI KENNETH TASIE, Ph.D, FRANKLINE C.S.A OKEKE, Ph.D, ELIJAH CHINEZIM ONYEAGBA, EZEILO CHINONYE B.

January 12, 2026

Citation

AFRICAN SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL JOURNAL , Vol. 15 (1) (2026) , pp. 49-68

Details

ISSN: 978-37889
Published: January 12, 2026
Status: Published

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to change how public services are delivered around the
world, enabling unprecedented opportunities for both efficiency and citizen engagement, as well as
governance innovations. AI adoption in the public sector is accelerating rapidly, particularly in
developing economies and Sub-Saharan Africa yet major challenges concerning infrastructure, ethics,
regulation and digital inclusion are poorly addressed. This paper reviews the need, benefits and
challenges of leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) for public service delivery across Nigeria and Africa,
as well as implications for policymakers. Utilising a systematic conceptual review method, the study
synthesizes peer-reviewed literature. The analysis found AI applications could be transformative in
areas like e-governance, citizen engagement, service automation and fraud detection. Despite this,
several long-standing challenges such as the digital divide, data biases in ML algorithms and inefficient
regulatory frameworks severely inhibit effective AI adoption in the economy. The paper concludes that
fulfilling the promise of AI in public service delivery will require policy coordination, an inclusive design
orientation, and contextually relevant governance frameworks. It adds to management sciences
literature and situates AI adoption in the domain of public administration within guidelines that can be
followed by governments, administrators, and management practitioners.