The European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to tackle artificial intelligence-driven misinformation and foreign information manipulation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
They made the call at the opening of the National Summit on AI, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), and Electoral Information Integrity, themed Beyond the Ballot: Safeguarding Electoral Information in the Age of AI, held in Abuja.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said elections could be undermined without altering a single ballot through fabricated announcements, false results and misleading information capable of eroding public confidence.
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He explained that while artificial intelligence could improve translation, accessibility and communication, it could also make deception easier to produce and more difficult to detect.
Mr Mignot stressed the need to strengthen reliable information systems, credible institutional communication and independent journalism to prevent information manipulation from undermining democratic processes.
He identified three priorities for addressing the challenge: preparing before election-related pressure emerges, strengthening partnerships among stakeholders and protecting democratic rights while safeguarding electoral information.
Similarly, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to strengthening its technological and communication capacity to address AI-generated misinformation ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the Commission was upgrading its technical infrastructure and developing internal mechanisms for monitoring information, detecting deepfakes, verifying suspicious content and issuing timely public clarifications.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC was working with development partners, including the European Union, and engaging major social media platforms to establish effective communication and rapid-response mechanisms.
He warned that manipulated videos and synthetic audio impersonating electoral officials or political candidates could create confusion, undermine public confidence and potentially disenfranchise voters.
He urged journalists to prioritise verification, noting that accuracy remains essential to democratic credibility, while encouraging civil society organisations to promote digital literacy, particularly in rural communities.
He called on stakeholders to develop clear inter-agency response protocols, institutionalise fact-checking channels and conduct practical simulations to prepare for possible AI-driven electoral information crises before the 2027 elections.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Dili Ezughah, who represented the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said electoral integrity extended beyond voting and the counting of ballots to include the quality of information available to citizens before, during and after elections.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, published in 2024, as a framework for responsible, transparent and inclusive AI development and deployment.
He stressed that responsible journalism should not be confused with favourable journalism, insisting that the media must remain free to question government institutions, political parties and candidates.
He urged participants at the summit to move beyond discussions and develop practical commitments, including stronger verification systems, rapid channels for correcting false information, coordinated responses to information threats and sustained public education.
The summit is expected to strengthen cooperation among electoral institutions, media organisations, technology companies, civil society groups and other stakeholders in protecting Nigeria’s electoral information environment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
