Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Office Management in Nigeria: A Prospective Theoretical and Empirical Inquiry

This study conducts a prospective theoretical and empirical inquiry into the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for the future of office management in Nigeria. AI technologies including machine learning, natural language processing, intelligent process automation, and predictive analytics are fundamentally transforming office management functions globally, with implications for professional roles, organisational structures, and educational curricula that Nigerian institutions have not yet systematically anticipated. The research employs a mixed-methods futures-oriented design. Phase One develops a theoretical model of AI-office management interaction through systematic literature review of 120 studies published between 2019 and 2024. Phase Two tests the theoretical model through a survey of 310 office managers, technology directors, and HR executives in Nigerian corporations, government institutions, and universities across Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt. Phase Three applies a scenario planning methodology involving thirty expert participants to construct four prospective futures for AI-transformed Nigerian office management (2025 to 2035). The study makes an original theoretical contribution by proposing the AI-Office Management Integration Model (AOMIM) and an original empirical contribution through the first large-scale survey of AI readiness among Nigerian office management professionals. Recommendations target the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, the National Board for Technical Education, and the National Universities Commission. Keywords: artificial intelligence, office management, Nigeria, futures study, professional transformation