INEC Warns of AI Disinformation Threat for 2027 Elections

Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), addressed the growing threat of artificial intelligence-driven disinformation to the credibility of Nigeria's 2027 general election. Speaking at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) on Wednesday at the National Open University Conference Centre, Abuja, he urged that electoral technology and communication should be treated as a unified discipline in educational institutions.

He highlighted that the credibility of INEC relies on public trust in its processes, particularly with the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Amupitan acknowledged that technology could also lead to public skepticism if it fails to perform reliably.

INEC is conducting a comprehensive audit of its systems and is considering a mock presidential election to test its processes before 2027. He warned about the dangers of manipulated content and algorithmic microtargeting that could mislead voters.