The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that artificial intelligence (AI) and computer algorithms will not determine the outcome of the 2027 general election.
Amupitan said the power to elect Nigeria’s leaders remained exclusively with the electorate, stressing that technology would support the electoral process rather than replace the will of voters.
He made the declaration at the AI and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja while addressing the question of whether algorithms would decide the 2027 elections.
“Algorithms will not and must never decide the 2027 votes,” he said, adding that the choice of who leads the country belonged to Nigerians.
The INEC chairman, however, acknowledged that AI could improve election administration through predictive modelling, geospatial analysis and more efficient deployment of election materials.
According to him, the commission had tested predictive logistics optimisation during five major elections and more than 16 by-elections conducted since he assumed office on October 23, 2025.
He said the initiative had contributed to improvements in the early deployment of election materials and the commencement of voting.
Amupitan also disclosed that AI-related technologies were already incorporated into some of the commission’s electoral systems, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which uses facial recognition and fingerprint technology for voter accreditation.
He said INEC was refining its systems to address emerging AI-related challenges and ensure that the technology was deployed lawfully.
The commission, he added, could not publicly disclose certain details of its preparations because of cybersecurity concerns.
Earlier, on October 6, Amupitan announced that INEC had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division within its Information and Communications Technology Department to strengthen cybersecurity and support the verification of election results.
He also disclosed that automated AI auditing tools had been integrated into the commission’s result verification process under a five-pillar AI governance framework, with mandatory human oversight.
The INEC chairman said the commission was finalising its AI governance policy to guide the responsible use of the technology throughout the electoral process.
His remarks come amid growing concerns about the potential use of AI-generated images, videos, audio recordings and other forms of manipulated digital content to mislead voters ahead of the 2027 general election.
Amupitan maintained that while technology could strengthen electoral administration, the ultimate decision on who governs Nigeria must remain with the Nigerian people.
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