Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will use artificial intelligence tools to assist in verifying election results and detecting discrepancies ahead of the 2027 general elections, its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has said.
Amupitan disclosed this on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, while presenting an update on INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections at a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja.
The INEC chairman said the commission had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division within its Information and Communications Technology Department as part of efforts to strengthen the electoral process.
According to him, automated AI auditing tools have already been integrated into INEC’s results verification process under a five-pillar AI governance framework.
Amupitan stressed that the technology would not independently determine election results or replace electoral officials.
Instead, AI-generated alerts and checks would be subjected to mandatory human oversight, with final decisions remaining under the responsibility of authorised electoral officials and the applicable legal framework.
The commission is also developing an AI governance policy based on principles including human oversight, transparency and accountability, data protection and privacy, cybersecurity and risk management, and public trust.
Amupitan said INEC was deploying the technology partly because of the increasing ability of artificial intelligence to generate convincing fake election materials.
He identified fabricated result sheets, cloned voices of election officials, manipulated videos and forged official documents as some of the threats that could emerge during the 2027 election cycle.
The INEC chairman warned that the challenge was not limited to voters being deceived by false information. He said the widespread circulation of convincing fabrications could also undermine confidence in genuine information released by legitimate electoral authorities.
He therefore urged media organisations and journalists to strengthen their fact-checking and digital verification systems ahead of the elections.
Amupitan had previously disclosed in September that INEC had commenced deploying intelligent AI tools directly within its results-management process.
He said the system could automatically scan result records and identify possible discrepancies or administrative errors before final validation, while every automated check would remain subject to human auditing and legal verification.
The commission's decision comes as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections. INEC has said it is also strengthening its technical infrastructure, personnel training and readiness assessments ahead of the polls.
The use of AI is, however, already attracting debate. The Obidient Movement recently expressed concerns about the deployment of the technology without what it described as adequate safeguards around electoral transparency, result transmission and public confidence.
INEC has maintained that its approach is to use AI as an assisting tool rather than as a replacement for constitutional institutions.
Amupitan said the commission's objective was to use technology to improve the accuracy and efficiency of electoral administration while ensuring that human officials remain responsible for electoral decisions.
The development means AI is set to play a more visible role in Nigeria's 2027 electoral process, particularly in checking election result records and identifying potential anomalies before results undergo final human verification.
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