INEC Moves to Protect 2027 General Elections from AI Threat and Digital Manipulation
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled a new set of measures to strengthen the credibility of the 2027 general elections amid growing concerns over artificial intelligence, misinformation and digital manipulation.
The measures were announced at 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 theme was “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication.”
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What INEC Announced at ACSPN
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, National Commissioner Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam, SAN, said the commission has commenced comprehensive preparations for the 2027 polls.
INEC warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence to produce misleading political content could threaten the credibility of Nigeria's 2027 general elections.
Inside INEC's 2027 Preparation Plan
According to Prof. Adam, INEC's preparations include four critical technical checks:
Full audit of INEC's electoral technology infrastructure
System redundancy assessments
Penetration testing to block cyber intrusions
Disaster recovery planning
He also disclosed that the commission is considering a mock presidential election to stress-test its systems ahead of the 2027 polls.
The commission noted that lessons from the 2023 general election showed that technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) contributed significantly to electoral transparency. INEC had earlier stated that its proposed budget carries significant allocations for technology.
Why Technology Alone Won't Save 2027 Elections
Prof. Adam stressed that technology alone cannot guarantee public confidence unless systems perform reliably and are supported by timely, accurate and effective communication.
To address this, INEC is developing a rapid-response digital communication strategy that will enable the commission to detect, verify and counter misinformation in real time.
The commission also plans to strengthen partnerships with communication scholars, universities, media organisations, fact-checkers, technology companies and civil society groups to build a more resilient electoral information environment.
E1xperts Call for a Unified Electoral Integrity Framework
Also speaking at the conference, ACSPN National President, Prof. Rotimi Williams Olatunji, called for an integrated electoral information integrity framework involving INEC, political parties, media organisations, technology platforms, civil society and academia.
Olatunji said protecting electoral integrity requires:
Stronger fact-checking mechanisms
AI-content detection tools
Responsible political communication
Improved media literacy among citizens
NOA Warns: AI Deepfakes Could Undermine Public Trust
Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, warned that AI-generated misinformation and manipulated digital content could significantly undermine public confidence ahead of the 2027 elections if left unchecked.
Issa-Onilu urged stakeholders to promote responsible digital citizenship and intensify public awareness campaigns to help Nigerians distinguish credible information from fabricated content.
He said stronger collaboration among electoral authorities, the media, technology platforms, civil society and citizens would be critical to protecting Nigeria's electoral information space.
Bottom Line: With the 2027 elections less than a year away, INEC's message is clear — securing the ballot will require securing the information space first.
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