INEC Chairman Defends Artificial Intelligence in Nigerian Electoral Systems
Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan has defended artificial intelligence in election management while highlighting risks of deceptive content.
At a glance
- INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan stated that artificial intelligence is not an enemy of democracy.
- Amupitan highlighted benefits such as improved voter registration, logistics planning, and data analysis.
- He warned that accessible generative AI tools could be exploited for voice cloning and disinformation.
- The comments follow concerns over suspicious photographs found in INEC's preliminary voter register in Edo State.
Prof. Joash Amupitan, heading the Independent National Electoral Commission, has argued that artificial intelligence can improve election management despite risks of misuse by malicious actors.
Speaking in Abuja at The Beyond the Ballot Summit, Amupitan outlined both the administrative advantages and the digital threats facing electoral bodies as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election.
Balancing innovation and security risks
Amupitan explained that electoral authorities globally utilize technology to strengthen election planning and administrative efficiency. He noted that artificial intelligence can assist with voter registration and large database management.
At the same time, the INEC chairman cautioned that generative AI tools have lowered the barrier for malicious actors. He pointed to risks such as voice cloning of public figures and synthetic audio or video of election officials making false announcements.
Voter register scrutiny and past irregularities
The discussion around digital integrity follows the discovery of suspicious photographs, believed to be AI-generated, within the preliminary Register of Voters in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
INEC's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, stated that those images were linked to irregularities introduced by registration officers with system access. The commission emphasized that the voter register remains preliminary and subject to cleaning before certification.
Weighing technology against electoral integrity
The integration of artificial intelligence into Nigeria's electoral framework presents a dual challenge for election administrators aiming to modernize logistics while protecting public trust.
As INEC prepares for the 2027 polls, the commission must balance efficiency gains against the rapid spread of digital manipulation, ensuring that preliminary data errors and deepfake risks do not undermine confidence in the final electoral outcome.
What to watch: Watch for further updates from INEC on data cleaning procedures and the safeguards implemented for the preliminary voter register.
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- INEC
- Joash Amupitan
- Artificial Intelligence
- Elections
- Nigeria
- Politics