INEC Chairman Warns of AI Threat to 2027 Elections

Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warned that the rise of artificial intelligence-driven disinformation poses a significant threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 General Election. He made this statement on Wednesday in Abuja during a keynote address at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN), delivered on his behalf by National Commissioner Sani Adam, SAN.

Amupitan stressed the importance of treating electoral technology and communication as a unified discipline. He noted that INEC's credibility relies on public trust in its processes, alongside the integrity of voting systems like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

He revealed that INEC is conducting a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology and is considering a mock presidential election to test systems before 2027. Additionally, he mentioned that INEC has proposed a substantial budget for the upcoming election, focusing on technology and operations.