RismadarVoice Reporters
November 2, 2026
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has warned that the misuse of artificial intelligence could threaten the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, despite its potential to improve electoral administration.
Amupitan raised the concern on Monday at the Beyond the Ballot Summit in Abuja, where electoral stakeholders examined the growing influence of emerging technologies on democratic processes.
He said artificial intelligence could assist electoral management bodies in analysing large databases, improving logistics, identifying irregularities and strengthening administrative efficiency.
“Artificial Intelligence, AI, is not an enemy of democracy,” the INEC chairman said.
However, he warned that generative AI technologies had made it easier for malicious actors to produce deceptive content capable of misleading voters and undermining confidence in electoral institutions.
According to him, cloned voices of political figures and realistic videos falsely depicting election officials making announcements could be deployed to spread disinformation during sensitive electoral periods.
His remarks came amid controversy over suspicious photographs discovered in INEC’s preliminary Register of Voters, including records associated with Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, disclosed that the commission’s Automated Biometric Identification System had flagged 268 records for suspected AI-generated photographs and other irregularities.
Bayode alleged that some registration officers had used their authorised access to introduce questionable records into the database.
He explained that the commission was examining the affected entries and removing confirmed irregularities.
The ICT director also distinguished between entirely AI-generated photographs and genuine images enhanced by mobile phone applications, stressing that legitimate voters would not automatically be excluded because their photographs had undergone digital enhancement.
INEC maintained that the published register remained preliminary and was subject to verification, corrections and public scrutiny before certification.
The commission has scheduled December 15, 2026, for certification of the final Register of Voters.
Amupitan’s warning highlights the challenge facing electoral authorities as they seek to benefit from technological advances while preventing their misuse.
The commission has emphasised that technology should support transparency, accountability and administrative efficiency without replacing human oversight or undermining voters’ confidence in election outcomes.
