By Nkechi Eze
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stepped up efforts to tackle the growing threat of artificial intelligence-generated fake election results, cloned voices and manipulated videos ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed this at the National Summit on Electoral Information Integrity in Abuja, where he announced the establishment of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) unit and the deployment of ChatGPT to strengthen the commission’s capacity to identify and counter digital misinformation.
Amupitan warned that the increasing accessibility of AI tools had made it easier for individuals and organised groups to manufacture convincing false information, including fabricated polling-unit results, fake official announcements, cloned voices and manipulated videos capable of misleading voters.
He expressed concern that such content could be circulated online under the guise of authentic electoral information, creating confusion, heightening political tensions and undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
The INEC chairman identified fabricated announcements of election postponements, cancellation of voting and false directives purportedly issued by the commission as some of the emerging threats requiring urgent attention.
He explained that the newly established AI unit would monitor emerging technologies, identify digital vulnerabilities and develop strategies for responding to misinformation and coordinated disinformation campaigns.
According to him, the deployment of ChatGPT would also support the commission’s institutional response to false information and improve its strategic communication during the electoral process.
Amupitan further disclosed that INEC was strengthening the capacity of its Information and Communications Technology, voter education and communications departments to monitor public information channels, verify suspicious content and issue timely clarifications.
As part of the measures, the commission is pursuing partnerships with major technology companies to check the spread of fabricated electoral information.
He said INEC had entered into memoranda of understanding with some technology companies, particularly TikTok, while seeking stronger collaboration with Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Telegram and X.
The commission is also working with international partners, including the European Union, to develop a coordinated communication framework for the rapid identification and response to fake election announcements, manipulated media and impersonation of electoral officials.
Beyond election-day misinformation, Amupitan identified fraudulent voter registration portals, fake operational directives and manipulated registration statistics as other digital threats confronting the electoral process.
He said the commission was reviewing the security of its web-based Continuous Voter Registration processes while promoting safer application-based procedures to minimise impersonation and other forms of digital abuse.
The chairman called for a coordinated national response involving journalists, telecommunications operators, security agencies, civil society organisations, independent fact-checkers and technology companies.
He particularly urged journalists to maintain direct communication with designated INEC officials to facilitate prompt verification of electoral information before publication.
He also advocated voter education campaigns in Nigerian Pidgin and indigenous languages, particularly through WhatsApp and other widely used communication platforms, to help citizens recognise misleading content.
Amupitan emphasised the importance of prebunking, a preventive approach that equips citizens with the knowledge to identify misinformation techniques before encountering them.
He, however, cautioned that artificial intelligence alone could not guarantee credible elections, stressing that transparency, institutional accountability and responsible human conduct remained essential to protecting the integrity of the electoral process.
He recalled the evolution of Nigeria’s electoral technology, from the Smart Card Reader introduced under former INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), noting that technological innovations must be backed by integrity in their implementation.
The INEC chairman also warned about the ‘liar’s dividend’, a situation in which the proliferation of AI-generated fake content makes people increasingly suspicious of genuine recordings and authentic evidence.
The summit, themed Beyond the Ballot: AI, FIMI and the Integrity of the Nigerian 2027 Elections, brought together electoral officials, journalists, security agencies, civil society organisations and technology stakeholders.
It was organised under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EUSDGN III) framework, with former INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, and representatives of the International Press Centre and Centre for Media and Society among the participants.
With the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, INEC is seeking to strengthen its digital safeguards against emerging threats capable of manipulating electoral information and eroding public trust in the democratic process.
