The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence division as part of measures to detect discrepancies and combat AI-generated disinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Thursday at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, where he warned that deepfake videos, cloned audio and fabricated electoral documents could undermine public confidence in the election.
Amupitan said the commission had also developed an AI roadmap and governance framework to guide the use of artificial intelligence in electoral processes.
According to him, the framework is anchored on human oversight, transparency, data protection and cybersecurity.
He disclosed that INEC had begun deploying AI tools within its results management process to automatically identify discrepancies before results are finally validated.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the use of generative AI to create convincing but false videos, audio recordings, images and documents.
Amupitan said Nigeria is entering an era of what he described as “synthetically manufactured reality,” warning that the technology could be deployed to create fake election results or impersonate electoral officials.
“The primary danger of synthetic disinformation is not merely that it tricks citizens into believing a specific falsehood, but it causes the systemic destruction of public trust,” he said.
The INEC chairman said the threat was particularly significant during elections because fabricated content could spread rapidly through social media before journalists, fact-checkers or electoral authorities could establish its authenticity.
“For an election management body, administrative success on the ground can be instantly erased on a smartphone screen by a well-timed, algorithmically boosted deepfake,” he said.
Amupitan said the commission’s technology reforms were being implemented under the Electoral Act 2026, Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and Cybercrimes Act 2024.
He also disclosed that INEC had engaged technology and electoral organisations, including Microsoft, Google and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, IFES, on responsible use of AI in elections.
“AI must strengthen electoral integrity, improve public service, and always remain under human control,” he said.
The commission’s move comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
Amupitan also cited the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election as part of the commission’s preparations, saying 3,556 of the state’s 3,763 polling units, representing 94.5 per cent, had opened by 8:30 a.m.
Read also:
- INEC Ad Hoc Staff Recruitment 2027: How To Apply, Requirements And Portal
- 2027: INEC Clears 4,408 Candidates For National Assembly Elections
- Outrage As Nigerians React To INEC’s Confirmation Of Yahaya Bello As APC Senate Candidate
He said the commission was using lessons from recent elections to strengthen its systems ahead of the 2027 polls.
The INEC chairman urged editors and journalists to strengthen fact-checking mechanisms in their newsrooms and adopt tools capable of detecting manipulated digital content.
He also advised journalists to resist the pressure to publish unverified breaking news, stressing that accuracy should take precedence over speed.
“The desk of an Editor is the final barrier between a verified fact and a nation-altering falsehood,” Amupitan said.
He urged the media to work with electoral authorities and other stakeholders to protect the integrity of information surrounding the 2027 elections.
