AI-Generated Fakes Threaten Nigeria's 2027 Elections

Toluwani Akinniyi, a cybersecurity and artificial intelligence governance expert, has raised concerns about the impact of AI-generated fake content on Nigeria's 2027 general elections. He stated that the challenge lies not only in political misinformation but also in voters' ability to discern genuine images, videos, and audio from manipulated ones.

Akinniyi noted that generative AI can create convincing media rapidly and with less technical skill than before. He referenced incidents such as former Oyo State first lady Florence Ajimobi denying a viral AI-generated video of her making controversial comments about the 2027 governorship election.

Additionally, during the June 2026 Ekiti governorship election, CDD Fact Check identified an AI-generated image misrepresenting voters. Akinniyi warned that the combination of synthetic content with targeted distribution could exacerbate misinformation.

He also mentioned the 'liar’s dividend', where real evidence may be dismissed as fake due to the prevalence of synthetic media. Akinniyi emphasized the need for responsible data handling by organizations like INEC, which holds personal data for about 94 million Nigerians.