A

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

TITLED:

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL

INTELLIGENCE ON GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT WITH

CITIZENS IN NIGERIA

BY

OLANREWAJU BUKOLA YUSUF

19/66RM065

SUPERVISOR
 INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Twenty-four years into Nigeria’s transition to a democratic system of government,

concerns persist regarding the extent to which Nigerians can enjoy the benefits of practising
this system. Despite apprehensions about the country’s development rate and its impact on the
African region, there is significant optimism that a democratic system of government
guarantees freedom of expression and, to a large extent, upholds human rights. This hope has
fostered the emergence of innovative approaches to combat democratic issues such as
corruption, electoral malpractice, and political exclusion (Abideen, 2023). One of the latest
trends aimed at optimising the dividends and positive impact of democracy involves the
deployment of advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), to digital
solutions that promote anti-corruption measures, citizen participation, and the supremacy of
the law.

UNESCO (2020) considers Artificial Intelligence as the technological system which

have the capacity to process information in a way that resembles intelligent behavior.
According to Google's records, searches emanating from Nigeria surrounding the phrase
“Artificial Intelligence (AI)” rose by a staggering 100% in 2022. The demand to know more
has also fueled the calls for regulation of the use of AI across the world and Nigeria is not
excluded. Globally, some of the sectors where Artificial Intelligence systems have been
deployed include Business Administration, Automobile industry, Financial Institutions, Space
exploration industry, Real Estate, Weapons and Defense Industries, Agriculture, etc. and it has
now made a grand entrance into government systems.

Statement of the Problem

Democracy is a system of government that revolves around the people. Therefore, it is

essential to continually empower the people and harness their potential for development.
Considering the current state of democracy in Africa, African governments cannot afford to
lag behind in adopting this innovation. The introduction of Artificial Intelligence in
government systems stems from the growing demand for participatory and deliberative forms
of democracy, including government engagement with citizens in Nigeria. In the recently
concluded 2023 general election, it appeared that candidates and political parties devoted more
money and time to engaging with citizens online. This indicates a potential digital shift in
democratic institutions and frameworks, presenting new dynamics for revitalizing the system.
Some examples are found in the use of AI powered customer care systems by institutions
cutting across various sectors: Ziva, an AI powered chatbot utilized by Zenith Bank, Timi by
Lawpavilion - an AI tool for lawyers, Zigi by MTN - a customer care digital assistant, Lara.ng
- an AI powered chatbot that offers individuals conversation-style directions and transport fare
estimate while using public transport in Lagos, etc (Abideen, 2023).

Although several authors and researchers have made their inputs on the benefits and
challenges of Artificial Intelligence, but little attention has been drawn to its engagement with
citizens in Nigeria which is my case study, hence this study.

Research Questions

This study will be guided by the following research questions in the conduct of this research:

i. What are the impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence on government engagement

with citizens in Nigeria?
ii. What are the challenges of Generative Artificial Intelligence on government
engagement with citizens in Nigeria?
iii. What are the future of Generative Artificial Intelligence on government engagement
with citizens in Nigeria?

Research Objectives

The main objective of this research is to explore the impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence
on Government Engagement with citizens in Nigeria. The specific objectives of the research
are to:

i. Examine the impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence on government engagement

with citizens in Nigeria?
ii. Analysed the challenges of Generative Artificial Intelligence on government
engagement with citizens in Nigeria?
iii. Determine the future of Generative Artificial Intelligence on government engagement
with citizens in Nigeria?
Research Hypothesis

I have outlined the following hypothesis to serve as a guide to our thought throughout this
research. The following null and alternative hypotheses will be tested.

Ho: Generative Artificial Intelligence has no significant effect on government engagement

with citizens in Nigeria

Hi: Generative Artificial Intelligence has significant effect on government engagement

with citizens in Nigeria

Significance of the Study

The essence of this study is to educate the public and stakeholders on the impacts of
Generative Artificial Intelligence on Government Engagement with citizens in Nigeria. This
research will draw the attention of government and stakeholders in various sectors for example
health, finance, education, security, engineering, manufacturing, research, and technology in
understanding the application and benefits of Artificial intelligence to enhance productivity
and effectiveness of the sectors. The findings of this research work will also serve as reference
for academic endeavor to lecturers and students and also help the public who would want to
know the potential benefits, challenges and prospects of the use of the artificial
intelligence.Finally, this research will be a contribution to the body of literature in the area of
the impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Government Engagement with citizens in
Nigeria, thereby constituting the empirical literature for future research in the subject area.

METHODOLOGY

This section explains the techniques and styles implored to achieve the objectives of this
research work. The methodology for the research work included study method, location of study,
study populace, methods used for sampling, and size of the sample, sources, and method of
collection of data as well as the research tools including a description, pretesting, validating, and
performing consistency of tools and techniques of analyzing data. It gives the procedural
blueprint to direct some randomly given examination.
Research Design

This study will adopt a descriptive survey design which will involve the systematic collection,
presentation, and analysis of data on the impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence on
government engagement with citizens in Nigeria.

Study Population

Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items. A population is a distinct

group of individuals, whether that group comprises a nation or a group of people with a
common characteristic. In statistics, a population is the pool of individuals from which a
statistical sample is drawn for a study. In order to explore the impact of generative artificial
intelligence on government engagement with citizens in Nigeria. The targeted population will
comprise of 50 stakeholders from Kwara state.

Sample and Sampling Techniques

Sample is a group of people, objects, or items that are taken from a larger population
for measurement. The sample should be a representative of the population to ensure that we
can generalize the findings from the research sample to the population as a whole. As a result
of the inability to study the whole nation under study, a representative number of 500 will be
use as the sample size population using percentage sampling techniques, 10 per cent of the
population which is 50 will be administered a questionnaire. This method of sampling allows
for the selection of respondents who were knowledgeable, and their experiences guarantee a
proper understanding on the the impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence on government
engagement with citizens in Nigeria.

Data collection Procedure

Data that will be gotten while conducting research are known as primary data, while
those collected from a published document such as relevant publications and journals are called
secondary data. Both primary and secondary will be utilize for the collection of data. The
primary source of data will be obtained through the use of a questionnaire which will be design
and distributed to respondents by the researcher. For this study, 100 respondents who have in-
depth knowledge of the impacts of Generative Artificial Intelligence on government
engagement with citizens in Nigeria will be administered a questionnaire.
 In the bid to further enrich, ensure the validity and relevance of the collected data,
secondary sources such as academic journal published and unpublished books, official bulletins
and documents, public and inaugural lectures, and other relevant texts will be consulted during
this research.

Validity and Reliability of Instrument

Validity of the questionnaire will be tested as the questionnaire will be subjected to thorough
examination by the supervisor who will evaluate the statements in the questionnaire for
relevance. The reliability will also be tested using codded and responses input into SPSS.

Data Analysis Techniques

This entails the detail of the empirical analysis which will be clearly stated in this stage
step by step. The data will be analyzed through the use of descriptive and inferential statistics
such as frequency distribution, tables, and percentages. This method of data analysis is highly
useful as it allows the researcher to compare information as well as to detect trends in the
opinion of respondents. After the questionnaire will be administered, the researcher will
analyze the responses and aligned them with the research objectives.

References

Anneke Zuiderwijk, 2021- implications of the use of artificial intelligence in public

governance- a systematic literature review and a research agenda.

Kelvin C. Desouza , 2021- Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector

Olasupo Abideen, 2023- the cable report- exploring artificial intelligence technologies for

enhanced deliberative democracy

UNESCO (2020)- Artificial Intelligence Definition