By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called for a united institutional response to growing threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI)-driven misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, said the increasing sophistication of digital manipulation required stronger collaboration among government agencies, security institutions, media organisations, technology companies and civil society groups to safeguard electoral credibility.
Amupitan made the call in Abuja while declaring open the National Summit on Electoral Information Integrity, with the theme, “Beyond the Ballot: AI, FIMI and the Integrity of Nigeria’s 2027 Elections.”
He warned that threats to electoral integrity had moved beyond physical interference at polling units to sophisticated digital operations capable of undermining public confidence in elections even before voting begins.
According to him, although artificial intelligence offers opportunities to improve administrative efficiency in election management, its misuse could facilitate the production of deepfakes, cloned voices, fabricated announcements and coordinated disinformation campaigns.
He maintained that public awareness alone would not be sufficient to address the emerging threats, stressing the need for a coordinated response involving all critical stakeholders.
“INEC cannot police the truth alone. Our expectation for this summit is clear: we need a United Front for Information Integrity,” he said.
The INEC chairman disclosed that the Commission was strengthening its technological and communication capacity to detect manipulated content, verify suspicious information and issue timely clarifications across traditional and digital media platforms.
He called for clear inter-agency escalation protocols, institutionalised fact-checking channels and practical simulation exercises to prepare relevant institutions for potential AI-driven information crises.
However, Amupitan cautioned that efforts to combat misinformation must not undermine freedom of expression, press freedom and legitimate political dissent, warning against the use of information integrity measures as justification for censorship or state overreach.
Former INEC Chairman and Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Attahiru Jega, described artificial intelligence as a powerful technology with significant potential to improve governance efficiency but stressed the need to understand and address the risks associated with its deployment in the electoral environment.
Also speaking, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, warned that elections could be undermined without any physical alteration of ballot papers, as fabricated announcements and false claims about election results could mislead voters and deepen public distrust.
Mignot reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening information integrity, media resilience and responsible digital engagement in Nigeria.
Representing the Minister of Information, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Dr. Dili Ezughah, said electoral integrity extended beyond voting, counting and declaration of results to include the quality and credibility of information available to citizens before, during and after elections.
He noted that Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, published in 2024, provides a framework for responsible, inclusive and accountable deployment of AI technologies.
The Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Mr. Lanre Arogundade, speaking on behalf of IPC, the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), IDEA and DAI, said the contest for citizens’ trust was already unfolding across digital platforms long before voters reached polling units.
He called for stronger collaboration among the media, electoral management bodies and civil society organisations to identify, verify and counter false electoral narratives.
The summit was organised by IPC and CEMESO with support from the European Union under its EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme and DAI.
It is expected to produce practical commitments and strategies for protecting Nigeria’s electoral information environment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Papers presented at the summit included “Safeguarding Electoral Information Integrity in the Age of AI: A Call for Preparedness, Partnership and Democratic Resistance,” by Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika.
Another presentation, “Nigeria 2027: Mapping the Electoral Information Environment: An Overview of AI-Generated Content, FIMI, False Electoral Information, Hate Speech and Coordinated Manipulation,” was delivered by Dr. Monday Ashibogwu and Prof. Lambe Mustapha.
A panel session titled “Voters, Voices and Algorithms: Who Is Most Exposed?” featured Mr. Dayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman; Mr. Ade Atobatele, Founder of Bootstrap Africa; and Dr. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, Founder of Rise Network. The session was moderated by Maupe Ogun-Yusuf.
