The Independent National Electoral Commission has raised concerns over the growing misuse of artificial intelligence to create and circulate manipulated materials, warning that it is “no longer a distant, theoretical risk” to the 2027 general elections.
According to the commission, the increasing availability of generative AI has reduced the cost of producing fake content while making fabricated audio, videos and images significantly more difficult to identify. It said this could have implications for voters and confidence in the electoral process.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday and signed by the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, highlighted the issue while opening a capacity-building workshop for Public Affairs Officers from the states.
Haruna explained that the concern was not limited to fake media, as artificial intelligence could also be used to generate highly targeted communication capable of presenting different and conflicting narratives to separate groups of voters.
“Generative AI has made it cheaper and considerably harder to detect manipulated audio, video and images,” he said.
He noted that the situation underscored the need to view electoral technology and electoral communication as closely connected components of election management.
Haruna also recalled that the INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), had recently stated that electoral credibility was no longer determined solely by ballot papers, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines and result sheets, but also by the information environment where voters make decisions.
He said Amupitan had advocated treating electoral technology and electoral communication “not as separate concerns but as a single discipline.”
According to Haruna, the workshop, titled “Strengthening PAOs Capacity for Credible, Verified and Responsible Election Communication Towards 2027,” was aimed at providing INEC’s public affairs officers with the necessary expertise to handle emerging information-related challenges.
Describing the PAOs as “the frontline communicators of INEC in the states,” Haruna said, “the credibility of INEC’s communication, in many respects, begins with the work you do.”
The national commissioner said participants would be trained in verification procedures, escalation processes and the delivery of clear and consistent messages. He added that their ability to apply the skills would be assessed in real time ahead of the 2027 elections.
In her welcome address, Eta-Messi said the officers played an important role in influencing how the public perceives the commission.
“It is through you that Nigerians form much of their impression of who we are, what we stand for, and how reliable our information is,” she said.
She noted that INEC was constantly under public scrutiny and frequently faced efforts aimed at distorting its activities and weakening public trust.
Eta-Messi disclosed that the workshop was part of a broader process, revealing that additional capacity-building programmes were already at an advanced planning stage with assistance from development partners.
The director described the training as “the beginning of sustained engagement” aimed at ensuring that the officers were sufficiently equipped to carry out their duties.
Presenting the objectives of the workshop, the Deputy Director, Information and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, said the programme was intended to improve the practical communication abilities required by PAOs in their daily responsibilities as the 2027 elections draw nearer.
He explained that the training would establish clear escalation channels involving PAOs, heads of department, the Voter Education and Publicity Department and Resident Electoral Commissioners.
Ifogah added that the programme would promote greater consistency in press releases, talking points and social media communication, while strengthening the officers’ ability to track developments within the information environment and address misinformation and disinformation.
He said participants would also be introduced to “the responsible use of artificial intelligence in communication work, including its practical applications, its limitations, and the safeguards required around confidentiality and verification.”
Ifogah said the officers were expected to complete the workshop with “a shared appreciation of the standards of accuracy, consistency and professionalism required of every Public Affairs Officer of this Commission,” particularly as the 2027 general elections approach.
