2027 Elections: Experts Urge INEC to Strengthen AI Checks on Voters’ Register

Experts in artificial intelligence and election management have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen the use of artificial intelligence and biometric technology to detect irregularities in the voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The experts said AI-powered systems could help identify duplicate registrations, underage voters, suspicious photographs and other inconsistencies that could undermine the credibility of the electoral process.

The call follows INEC’s disclosure that its biometric system had flagged 268,000 registration records over suspected AI-generated photographs and other irregularities. The commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, said the records were undergoing further examination, although the number already reviewed has not been disclosed.

INEC clarified that photographs of genuine voters enhanced with AI-powered applications would not automatically lead to their exclusion from the register, distinguishing such images from photographs generated entirely through artificial intelligence.

Professor Oludele Awodele, a Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence expert at Babcock University, Ogun State, warned that AI could also be exploited to create fake videos, manipulate audio recordings and impersonate public figures to spread misleading election information.

He recommended the use of watermarking, deepfake detection tools and stronger collaboration between INEC and social media platforms to identify and tackle AI-generated misinformation.

Similarly, other experts highlighted the potential of AI in voter education, monitoring public complaints, identifying electoral threats and improving election administration. They also called for coordinated responses involving INEC, security agencies, civil society organisations and technology companies.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, has also defended the use of artificial intelligence in election management, noting that the technology could improve voter registration, logistics planning and data analysis, while warning against its misuse to manipulate public opinion.

As preparations for the 2027 elections continue, experts stressed that effective technological safeguards, transparency and proper human oversight would be necessary to protect the integrity of the voters’ register and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.