The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over the growing threat of artificial intelligence-powered disinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that fake audio, videos and images could undermine public trust in the electoral process.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), also disclosed that the commission was considering a mock presidential election as part of efforts to test its readiness for the 2027 polls.
Amupitan spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria.
The INEC chairman, represented by National Commissioner, Sani Adam (SAN), said the commission was already conducting a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems, including system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery plans.
He said the commission was exploring the possibility of conducting a mock presidential election to test voter accreditation, result transmission and the INEC Result Viewing Portal under conditions similar to election day.
According to Amupitan, the credibility of elections now depends not only on the integrity of the ballot and electoral technology but also on how information about the process is communicated and understood by Nigerians.
He warned that the growing use of generative artificial intelligence had made it easier and cheaper to produce manipulated political content capable of deceiving voters.
“The danger lies not only in outright fabrication but also in algorithmic microtargeting, which allows conflicting messages to reach narrow segments of the electorate without a shared factual foundation,” he said.
Amupitan noted that AI-generated content could spread to millions of social media users before electoral authorities and fact-checkers were able to detect and verify it.
He said fabricated political content had already emerged during recent electoral cycles in West and East Africa, raising concerns over the possible impact of the technology on future elections.
The INEC chairman said the commission had proposed a substantial budget for technology and election operations, including the replacement of accreditation devices lost or damaged during the previous election cycle.
Although the commission is still awaiting the full release of the funds, he said its ICT team had begun engagements with manufacturers while preparations for the technology audit and proposed mock election continued.
Amupitan also acknowledged that the 2023 general elections demonstrated how electoral technology could become a source of public doubt when systems failed to perform as expected.
He stressed that public confidence could only be sustained when electoral systems were reliable, properly understood by voters and their shortcomings honestly communicated.
To tackle emerging challenges, the INEC chairman outlined a five-point strategy that includes integrating electoral technology with communication planning, establishing a rapid-response system to counter false information, proactively communicating known vulnerabilities and safeguards, strengthening collaboration with media professionals and technology platforms, and improving public media literacy.
Amupitan said INEC could no longer afford to treat technology and communication as separate components of election management.
He urged media professionals, scholars, technology experts and other stakeholders to work closely with the commission to build public understanding and confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The conference was themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication.”
