Nigeria's INEC Deploys AI Unit to Combat 2027 Disinformation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence unit and deployed ChatGPT to combat AI-driven disinformation ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections. The move aims to protect the electoral process from synthetic media, cloned voices, and deepfake videos that could be used to impersonate officials or fabricate results.

Speaking at the National Summit on Electoral Information Integrity in Abuja, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan warned that the threat to elections now extends beyond physical interference. He noted that AI allows individuals to generate fraudulent results that are not derived from authentic polling unit data. Amupitan stated that while technology is essential, protecting integrity requires institutional transparency and improved digital literacy for rural communities.

To support these efforts, INEC is enhancing its ICT and communications departments and collaborating with international partners, including the European Union. The commission has also signed memoranda of understanding with technology platforms such as TikTok to improve digital platform security. Amupitan emphasized that security agencies, journalists, and civil society must collaborate because AI cannot police the truth alone.