Nigeria’s civil service suffers from bloated bureaucracy: ghost workers, duplication, inefficiency, and corruption. AI and modern technologies can streamline payroll, digitize records, optimize approvals, and improve accountability—turning a slow, wasteful system into a transparent and responsive engine for development. Reform must be bold and data-driven. Bloated bureaucracy in Nigeria remains a stubborn drain on national progress. Despite reform efforts, layers of duplication, political interference, and inefficiency persist. Recent examples—like the government’s 2024 attempt to merge agencies, or the doctors’ strike in September 2025 over delayed training funds—illustrate how bureaucratic bottlenecks cripple service delivery. Ghost workers and fake pensioners, such as the 500 discovered in Benue State, further expose systemic weaknesses. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and modern digital tools offer practical solutions. Payroll AI systems can cross-check biometrics with real-...