The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised concerns over the growing sophistication of Artificial Intelligence-driven disinformation, warning that the technology could pose a major threat to the credibility of the 2027 general election.
The commission said the success of the election would depend not only on the integrity of the ballot, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result sheets, but also on how much Nigerians understand and trust information about the electoral process.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, who was represented by National Commissioner Sani Adams (SAN), raised the concern during the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) held at the National Open University Conference Centre, Abuja.
The conference, themed “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication,” focused on the growing impact of technology on democratic processes.
Amupitan said artificial intelligence had made it easier and cheaper to create manipulated videos, audio recordings and images capable of misleading voters before such content could be verified.
He warned that the challenge was not limited to fake content alone, but also included the ability of digital platforms to target different groups of voters with conflicting messages, making it difficult to maintain a shared understanding of facts during elections.
According to him, previous electoral cycles in Africa, including Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election, witnessed the circulation of manipulated political content, showing the urgent need for stronger safeguards ahead of 2027.
The INEC chairman said the commission’s credibility now depended heavily on ensuring that electoral information was properly communicated and trusted by citizens.
He explained that the introduction of BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) was aimed at reducing doubts around election transparency by allowing citizens to view polling unit results before final collation.
However, he admitted that the 2023 election exposed challenges with technology, noting that systems must be reliable, properly understood and honestly explained whenever problems occur.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC was conducting a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems, including system redundancy checks, penetration testing and disaster recovery plans.
He added that the commission was considering a mock presidential election ahead of 2027 to test accreditation processes, result transmission and viewing systems under conditions similar to election day.
The INEC chairman also revealed that the commission had proposed a significant budget allocation for technology and election operations, including the replacement of accreditation devices lost or damaged during previous elections.
He said while the full release of funds was still being awaited, INEC’s ICT team had already begun engagements with manufacturers as preparations continued.
Amupitan outlined measures the commission plans to adopt ahead of 2027, including faster responses to false information, improved public communication about electoral systems, stronger partnerships with media organisations and fact-checkers, and increased voter education.
He noted that Nigeria’s 2027 electorate would be younger and more dependent on smartphones for political information, making digital literacy and reliable communication more important than ever.
The commission assured Nigerians that its response to misinformation would focus on providing accurate and timely information rather than limiting legitimate journalism or civic discussions.