2027: INEC Warns Nigerians Against Using AI to Spread Disinformation

By Peter Emmanuel |

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned Nigerians against using artificial intelligence (AI) to create and spread disinformation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The commission said it is strengthening its digital communication systems and electoral technology to detect, verify and counter misinformation that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam, SAN, disclosed this while delivering a keynote address on behalf of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).

The conference, themed “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication,” brought together communication scholars, media professionals, policymakers, election administrators and technology experts.

INEC Audits Election Technology, Considers Mock Presidential Poll

Adam said INEC had commenced a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology infrastructure as part of preparations for the 2027 election.

He said the exercise includes system redundancy assessments, penetration testing and disaster recovery planning to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen the resilience of the commission’s digital systems.

According to him, INEC is also considering conducting a mock presidential election before 2027 to stress-test its electoral technology and ensure that systems are capable of handling the demands of the election.

He noted that the 2023 General Election demonstrated the value of technology in improving electoral transparency, particularly through the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

Commission Moves to Detect, Counter AI-Driven Disinformation

The INEC National Commissioner said the experience of the 2023 election also showed that technology alone could not guarantee public trust without reliable performance and timely, honest and effective communication.

He said the commission was therefore developing a rapid-response digital communication strategy to enable it to detect, verify and counter misinformation in real time.

Adam stressed the need for stronger collaboration among INEC, communication scholars, universities, media organisations, fact-checkers, technology companies and civil society groups.

He said such partnerships would help the commission respond more effectively to emerging digital threats and ensure that accurate information reaches voters before and during the 2027 election.

ACSPN Calls for Stronger Electoral Information Integrity Framework

The National President of ACSPN, 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 fact-checking, AI-content detection, responsible political communication and media literacy had become increasingly important as digital platforms continued to influence electoral communication.

He stressed that stakeholders must work together to prevent the spread of false and manipulated information capable of misleading voters and weakening confidence in democratic institutions.

He also called for greater public awareness and stronger professional standards to ensure that technology is used to support, rather than undermine, democratic participation.

NOA Warns AI-Generated Content Could Undermine 2027 Elections

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, warned that AI-generated misinformation and manipulated digital content could undermine public confidence ahead of the 2027 elections.

Issa-Onilu urged Nigerians to embrace responsible digital citizenship and verify information before sharing it across social media and other digital platforms.

He said increased public awareness would be essential in helping citizens identify manipulated content and avoid becoming channels for the spread of election-related disinformation.

The conference also featured the presentation of a Plaque of Honour to INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, for his contributions to democratic governance and electoral integrity. The award was received on his behalf by Prof. Sani Muhammad Adam, SAN.