By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, media organisations, technology companies and civil society to protect the 2027 General Election from artificial intelligence-driven misinformation, disinformation and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI).
The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the call in Abuja at the opening of the National Summit on Electoral Information Integrity, themed “Beyond the Ballot: AI, FIMI and the Integrity of Nigeria’s 2027 Elections.”
Prof. Amupitan said electoral threats have evolved beyond physical interference at polling units to include sophisticated digital manipulation that can erode public confidence in elections before voting begins.
He noted that while AI can improve administrative efficiency in election management, it can also be exploited to produce deepfakes, cloned voices, fabricated announcements and coordinated disinformation campaigns.
He stressed that public awareness alone is no longer enough to confront the threat and that a coordinated institutional response is required.
“INEC cannot police the truth alone,” he said, adding “our expectation for this summit is clear: we need a United Front for Information Integrity.”
The Chairman disclosed that the Commission is strengthening its technological and communication capacity to detect manipulated content, verify suspicious information and issue timely clarifications across traditional and digital media platforms.
He also called for clear inter-agency escalation protocols, institutionalised fact-checking channels and practical simulation exercises to prepare stakeholders for possible AI-driven information crises.
He cautioned, however, that efforts to combat misinformation must respect freedom of expression, press freedom and legitimate political dissent, and must not become a justification for censorship or state overreach.
The Chairman of the occasion, former INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, described AI as a powerful tool with great potential to improve efficiency across governance, but stressed the need to understand and address the challenges of its deployment in the electoral environment, particularly as Nigeria prepares for 2027.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, warned that elections can be undermined without a single ballot being physically altered, as fabricated announcements and false claims about results can mislead voters and deepen public distrust. He reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting initiatives on information integrity, media resilience and responsible digital engagement.
Representing the Minister of Information, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Dr. Dili Ezughah, said electoral integrity extends beyond voting, counting and the announcement of results to include the quality of information available to citizens before, during and after elections. He added that Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, published in 2024, provides a framework for responsible, inclusive and accountable AI deployment.
The Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Mr. Lanre Arogundade, speaking on behalf of the IPC, CEMESO, IDEA and DAI, said the contest for citizens’ trust is already playing out on digital platforms before voters reach polling units. He called for closer collaboration among the media, election management bodies and civil society to identify, verify and counter false electoral narratives.
The summit, organised by the IPC and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) with support from the European Union under the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme and DAI, is expected to produce practical commitments and strategies for protecting Nigeria’s electoral information environment.
Papers presented included:
* Safeguarding Electoral Information Integrity in the Age of AI: A Call for Preparedness, Partnership and Democratic Resistance, by Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika.
* Nigeria 2027: Mapping the Electoral Information Environment: An Overview of AI-Generated Content, FIMI, False Electoral Information, Hate Speech and Coordinated Manipulation, by Dr. Monday Ashibogwu and Prof. Lambe Mustapha.
* A panel session, Voters, Voices and Algorithms: Who Is Most Exposed?, featuring Mr. Dayo Oketola (CPS to the INEC Chairman), Mr. Ade Atobatele (Founder, Bootstrap Africa) and Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji (Founder, Rise Network), moderated by Maupe Ogun-Yusuf.
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