INEC chairman asserts AI will support, not determine, Nigeria’s 2027 vote

Human judgment remains central Prof. Joash Amupitan, chair of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), told participants at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja that the outcome of the 2027 general elections will be decided solely by voters. He stressed that while algorithms can predict patterns or suggest preferences, they lack conscience, citizenship and the right to vote, and therefore must not be allowed to determine the result.

AI’s expected influence Amupitan acknowledged that artificial intelligence will nevertheless play a significant role in the electoral environment. He said AI is likely to affect the information that citizens receive, speed up and secure election logistics, and alter the strategies of both democratic actors and those seeking to disrupt the process. The commission plans to use AI as a tool to strengthen electoral integrity, not as a substitute for human decision‑making.

Operational milestones and digital tools During his address, Amupitan noted that INEC had already achieved ten of the fourteen major operational milestones required under the Electoral Act 2026. Among the advances highlighted were the rollout of online voter registration and the digitisation of candidate nominations, initiatives intended to modernise the electoral system while retaining human oversight over result collation, voter accreditation and candidate qualification.

Potential technological threats The INEC chief warned that dismissing AI’s impact would be naïve. He identified deep‑fakes, synthetic media, targeted disinformation, automated social‑media accounts and cyber‑attacks as emerging risks that could undermine the credibility of the 2027 polls. The commission intends to monitor and mitigate these threats, ensuring that AI tools are deployed responsibly.

Broad stakeholder engagement The forum, co‑convened by INEC and civil‑society group Yiaga Africa, brought together electoral officials, political party leaders, media executives, security agencies, technology firms and international development partners. Participants discussed how to safeguard the largest democratic exercise on the African continent, scheduled for 2027, in an era where AI increasingly shapes public discourse.

Amupitan concluded that the sovereignty of a constitutional democracy rests with the Nigerian people, who will express their will through ballots cast across the country, with AI serving only as an auxiliary aid to the electoral process.