Nigeria: AI Disinformation Challenges Integrity of Upcoming 2027 Elections

With Nigeria, how many people registered to participate in the upcoming 2027 polls exceeding 103 million, the nation is grappling with the influence of artificial intelligence on its democratic process. As the country approaches the election date, incumbent President Bola Tinubu faces competition from Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi amid concerns regarding economic stability and national security. However, the integrity of the electoral process has been called into question following the release of a preliminary voter register by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Reports indicate that the register contains images likely generated by AI, evidenced by distorted facial features and inconsistencies such as duplicate names and entries for deceased individuals. Joash Amupitan, chairman of the commission, has announced the formation of a dedicated unit to investigate these discrepancies and monitor AI-related threats, including deepfakes. This move aims to protect the credibility of the vote, as the commission faces criticism over its transparency and preparedness.

The rise of AI-driven disinformation poses a significant threat to the integrity of Nigeria's 2027 electoral process.

The Growing Impact of AI

Digital manipulation is not a new challenge in Nigeria; during the 2023 elections, deepfakes were used to falsely associate candidates with terror-related activities. Experts warn that current advancements in AI could scale these disinformation campaigns to new levels. Lois Ugbede of the fact-checking platform DUBAWA notes that political parties are already using AI to inflate crowd sizes in images to project false support. Furthermore, Akintunde Babatunde of the Center for Journalism, Innovation and Development highlights a dangerous side effect: the potential for politicians to dismiss genuine evidence of wrongdoing by claiming it is AI-generated.

Technological integration has been a long-standing goal for Nigerian elections, moving from 2011 biometric data capture to the 2023 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). Despite these efforts, system failures and poor connectivity have historically hindered the process. Chibuike Mgbeahuruike of CDD-West Africa argues that while technology is not inherently harmful, the lack of institutional accountability regarding its deployment undermines public confidence. As the nation faces low voter turnout, which hit a record low of 27 percent in 2023, the need for transparent, human-overseen electoral technology has never been more urgent.

Why it matters

The rise of AI-driven disinformation in Nigeria risks eroding public trust in democratic institutions and the validity of electoral outcomes. This shift affects all stakeholders, including voters who may struggle to distinguish between authentic information and synthetic content, potentially deepening voter apathy in a country already facing low participation rates.