Former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Adebisi Adesola, and Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, have called for comprehensive reforms to Nigeria's workplace systems. They urged the government to redefine work and strengthen administrative capacity in response to the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, brain drain, and evolving global work dynamics.
The call was made at the Administrative Professionals Day Workshop organized by the Department of Office and Information Management at Lead City University, Ibadan. The event examined the future of work and the growing relevance of administrative professionals to institutional efficiency.
Keynote Address on Organizational Drivers
Delivering his keynote titled 'Administrative Professionals: Drivers of Organisational Activities for Sustainable Excellence,' Olaopa stated that Nigeria's workplace environment is now shaped by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, largely driven by rapid technological disruption. He noted that AI, big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are fundamentally transforming how organizations function, how decisions are made, and how public institutions deliver services.
Olaopa emphasized that administrative professionals have evolved from routine clerical roles into strategic actors who require advanced digital, analytical, and managerial competencies to remain relevant in modern governance systems. He warned that Nigeria's public sector must urgently address structural weaknesses exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly gaps in institutional resilience, innovation capacity, and crisis management.
Impact of Brain Drain and Automation
The FCSC chairman also raised concerns over the impact of brain drain, popularly known as 'Japa,' as well as the increasing automation of administrative tasks such as payroll processing and bookkeeping. He called for a redefinition of work, job design, and skills development, insisting that human capital must remain central to all technological and administrative reforms.
Similarly, Adesola described administrative professionals as the backbone of institutional effectiveness across both public and private organizations. He stated that no organization can function efficiently without the contributions of administrative staff such as secretaries, executive assistants, registry officers, and other support personnel, who play critical roles in coordination, communication, and information management.
Informal Influence and Ethical Standards
Adesola noted that while bureaucracy provides the formal structure for governance, administrative professionals often exercise significant informal influence through control of information flow and access to decision-makers. He, however, cautioned against the misuse of such influence, warning that poor ethical standards and weak procedural systems could lead to inefficiency, corruption, and mistrust within institutions.
Both speakers called for continuous training, re-professionalisation, and up-skilling of administrative professionals, as well as stronger investment in digital tools and modern workplace systems. They also urged government and institutions to develop structured career paths, improved motivation frameworks, and stronger ethical standards to enhance productivity and service delivery.
