.Worries over disinformation, criminal use of AI, vows foolproof security
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA – The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC on Thursday said it is set to conduct a comprehensive audit of its systems ahead of the 2027 general election in order to forestall a repeat of the technical glitches that trailed the 2023 presidential election.
This was as it raised concerns over disinformation and the criminal deployment of Artificial Intelligence AI in the electoral process.
The Commission gave the assurance when its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN, received the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery and his team at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Amupitan described the visit as part of ongoing collaboration between both countries on election and cyber security ahead of 2027.
The INEC Chairman told the visiting delegation that the Commission’s preparations had been shaped by extensive post-election reviews involving political parties, civil society organisations, the media, security agencies, development partners, election observers and its own officials, noting that “those reviews have informed virtually every aspect of our current preparations.”
On the technology front, the Chairman disclosed that rather than overhaul its existing platforms outright, the Commission had opted to improve on them, including the rollout of self-service, online voter registration that eliminates the need for prospective voters to visit registration offices physically.
“We started this a week ago, and we have gotten some very good, positive comments,” he said, adding that the goal was to ensure nobody is left behind in the process.
The Commission also confirmed it had completed the first and second phases of the Continuous Voter Registration CVR exercise, with the third and final phase — originally scheduled to end in August — extended by two weeks to give more Nigerians the opportunity to register, in line with statutory timelines guiding publication of the voters’ register before elections.
On security of its infrastructure and personnel, the Chairman said INEC had undertaken a comprehensive review of its cybersecurity architecture, data systems, and penetration testing protocols, alongside disaster recovery mechanisms and communication systems, stressing that the Commission works closely with security agencies at national, state and local government levels through regular meetings to safeguard officials, infrastructure and voters alike.
He acknowledged that public trust remained low but expressed confidence that the credibility of the elections would help rebuild confidence in the process.
On the specific concerns around disinformation, he said the increasing use of AI to spread false information was one of the Commission’s major challenges, noting that INEC was looking to its partners, including the United Kingdom, for support in tackling the problem.
The Chairman also disclosed that the Commission was considering budgeting for a full audit of its systems and the conduct of a mock presidential election ahead of 2027, though the plan was not originally part of its budget. “It was not originally in our budget, but if we need to get assistance in that direction, that can help us ahead of the election,” he said.
On the legal front, the Chairman noted that the Court of Appeal had restored the electoral timetable, disclosing that the Commission had been working to navigate the process even before the restoration, and assuring that despite a compressed financial timeline, INEC would deliver a free, fair, inclusive and credible election.
The Chairman, who noted he had been in office for about eight months during which he had superintended multiple elections while preparing for both the Osun State election and the 2027 general election, thanked the UK envoy for his consistent engagement with the Commission and reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to inclusivity, citing continued attention to women, youth and persons with disabilities in its electoral processes.
“Our objective remains to deliver elections that are credible, transparent, inclusive and reflective of the sovereign will of Nigeria,” the Chairman said.
Dr Montgomery, for his part, described the UK as a partner in Nigeria’s democratic journey, noting that both countries had deepened cooperation on security and defence, immigration, and justice, in addition to electoral matters, and commended the Commission’s preparations ahead of 2027.
He disclosed that he would be leaving his post as High Commissioner in about six weeks, with a successor to continue the relationship with the Commission.
