The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is strengthening its technical capacity to identify and counter artificial intelligence-generated misinformation, deepfakes and coordinated attempts to manipulate Nigeria’s electoral processes.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday at the Beyond the Ballot event in Abuja, where he highlighted the growing threat posed by manipulated digital content to election administration and public confidence.
Amupitan said the commission had upgraded its technical infrastructure and operational procedures to monitor publicly available data for early indications of coordinated activities targeting election operations.
He said: “We are upgrading our technical capacity to monitor public data streams for early signs of coordinated manipulations targeting elections operations.”
The INEC chairman explained that the commission had also improved its ability to identify fabricated content, verify suspicious media and issue official clarifications through established communication channels, including traditional broadcast platforms.
“We enhanced our capacity and workflow to detect these fakes, verify suspect media and issue authoritative clarifications,” he said.
However, Amupitan stressed that the commission could not effectively address the growing threat without the cooperation of technology companies, telecommunications operators, media organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
“However, we cannot do this alone, hence this gathering,” he added.
He warned that technical preparedness within INEC would not be sufficient if other institutions failed to respond promptly to misleading content, particularly materials designed to impersonate election officials or misrepresent official decisions.
To illustrate the potential danger, the chairman cited a hypothetical situation in which an AI-generated video falsely announces the postponement of an election. He said such a development would require an immediate and coordinated response rather than relying solely on an isolated press statement.
Amupitan called on social media platforms to establish fast-track channels through which manipulated content capable of interfering with electoral processes could be reported and reviewed.
He said the platforms should be able to label or remove demonstrably manipulated materials where they violate their policies on electoral interference.
“That is why we are partnering with some of these major social media platforms,” he stated.
The commission also called on telecommunications providers and media organisations to maintain effective communication channels for the rapid circulation of verified information from relevant institutions.
Amupitan further urged independent journalists and fact-checking organisations to establish direct contact with designated INEC communication officers to enable them to verify election-related information within minutes rather than hours.
The proposed collaboration is intended to reduce the spread of false information and ensure that Nigerians have access to accurate updates during the electoral process.
