The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concerns over the potential misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in the 2027 general elections. According to INEC, the growing accessibility of generative AI has made it cheaper and considerably harder to detect fabricated audio, videos, and images. This development raises concerns about the potential impact on voters and electoral credibility. INEC's Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, signed a statement on Monday, highlighting the commission's concerns.
The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, emphasized the threat of AI misuse during a capacity-building workshop for Public Affairs Officers in Abuja. Haruna noted that AI could be deployed to produce highly targeted messages designed to feed conflicting narratives to different groups of voters. He stressed that generative AI has made it imperative for electoral technology and electoral communication to be treated as interconnected aspects of election management.
The INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, recently stated that electoral credibility no longer depends only on ballot papers, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines, and result sheets, but also on the information environment in which voters form their judgments. Amupitan called for electoral technology and electoral communication to be treated "not as separate concerns but as a single discipline." This statement underscores the importance of addressing the emerging challenges posed by AI in the electoral process.
The workshop, themed "Strengthening PAOs Capacity for Credible, Verified and Responsible Election Communication Towards 2027," aims to equip INEC's public affairs officers with the skills required to respond to emerging information challenges. Haruna described the public affairs officers as "the frontline communicators of INEC in the states," emphasizing that the credibility of INEC's communication begins with their work. The officers will receive training in verification, escalation, and clear, consistent messaging.
The training will be tested in real-time as the 2027 elections approach. Eta-Messi noted that the officers have a major responsibility in shaping public perception of the commission. She emphasized that INEC operates under constant public scrutiny and is regularly confronted with attempts to misrepresent its work and undermine public confidence. The workshop is part of a sustained engagement to ensure that the officers are adequately prepared for their responsibilities.
The Deputy Director, Information and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, presented the objectives of the workshop, which include strengthening the practical communication skills required by public affairs officers. The programme aims to clarify escalation lines between public affairs officers, heads of department, the Voter Education and Publicity Department, and Resident Electoral Commissioners. It also seeks to introduce participants to the responsible use of artificial intelligence in communication work.
The workshop is expected to enhance the capacity of public affairs officers to monitor the information ecosystem and respond to misinformation and disinformation. Ifogah emphasized that participants are expected to leave the workshop with a shared appreciation of the standards of accuracy, consistency, and professionalism required of every Public Affairs Officer of the commission, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Key points
- INEC warns of AI misuse in 2027 elections, seeks public affairs officers' training
- The commission emphasizes the need for electoral technology and electoral communication to be treated as interconnected aspects of election management.
- The workshop aims to equip public affairs officers with skills to respond to emerging information challenges.
