AI Disinformation Threatens Nigeria's 2027 Elections

Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), addressed the security risks posed by AI-driven disinformation and social media volatility in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, set for January 16.

Speaking at a security alumni lecture in Abuja, he highlighted that technological manipulation increasingly interferes with physical security, presenting new challenges such as insurgency and communal strife. Amupitan noted that the trust deficit between the government and the public is widening due to these digital threats.

He reaffirmed INEC's commitment to implementing technical safeguards, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the online real-time result viewing portal (IREV), to combat electoral fraud. Despite a slight improvement in voter turnout during recent local council polls, he expressed concern over the decline in Nigerian electoral participation, which fell from 53% in 2011 to just 26% in 2023.

Amupitan described the upcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun as critical tests for the 2027 elections, urging a shift from reactive to proactive intelligence coordination to protect the sovereign will of the people.