Former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Chief Adebisi Adesola, and Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, have called for urgent reforms in Nigeria's workplace systems. They urged the country to redefine work and strengthen administrative capacity in response to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution, brain drain, and evolving global work dynamics.
Adesola and Olaopa made the call at the Administrative Professionals Day Workshop organized by the Department of Office and Information Management, Lead City University, Ibadan. The event examined the future of work and the growing relevance of administrative professionals in institutional efficiency.
Keynote Address on Administrative Excellence
Delivering his keynote address titled "Administrative Professionals: Drivers of Organisational Activities for Sustainable Excellence," Olaopa said Nigeria's workplace environment is now shaped by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), driven largely by rapid technological disruption. He noted that artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things are fundamentally transforming how organizations function, how decisions are made, and how public institutions deliver services.
Olaopa stressed that administrative professionals have evolved from routine clerical roles into strategic actors requiring 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, who also spoke at the event, described administrative professionals as the backbone of institutional effectiveness across both public and private organizations. He said 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.
Global Competitiveness and Adaptation
The duo emphasized that Nigeria's ability to remain competitive in the global economy would depend on how effectively it strengthens its administrative systems and adapts to the realities of the AI-driven workplace transformation. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Kabir Adeyemo, and Registrar, Dr. Oyebola Ayeni, urged administrative officials to continue upholding professionalism in discharging their duties.
