INEC Establishes AI Unit to Tackle Deepfakes, Disinformation Ahead of 2027 Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to detect deepfakes, verify political content and identify coordinated disinformation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026, hosted by Yiaga Africa in Abuja, where he announced the establishment of an AI unit within the commission’s Information and Communication Technology Directorate.
The initiative comes as the electoral body prepares for the 2027 elections amid growing concerns over the use of AI-generated images, videos and audio to spread misleading information, impersonate public figures and influence public perception of the electoral process.
With more than 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units spread across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, the commission faces the challenge of monitoring digital information at a scale that could make the rapid identification and verification of manipulated content increasingly important.
The planned deployment of AI is expected to support INEC’s efforts to identify suspicious digital content, authenticate political information and detect coordinated online campaigns that could mislead voters or undermine confidence in the elections.
However, the use of the technology also raises questions about how the commission will distinguish between deliberate disinformation, legitimate political criticism, satire and ordinary errors in online reporting.
INEC will also need to ensure that its interventions remain transparent and politically neutral, particularly when disputed content involves political parties, candidates or public officials. The speed with which the commission verifies suspicious claims, communicates its findings and corrects false information could influence public confidence in the initiative.
As preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace, the establishment of the AI unit signals the commission’s intention to address emerging digital threats to the electoral process. Its effectiveness will depend not only on its ability to detect manipulated content but also on the safeguards, verification procedures and accountability measures guiding its operations.
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