Nigeria's Election Run-Up Overshadowed by AI Disinformation Fears
Nigeria's electoral commission faces criticism over a preliminary voter register that reportedly contains AI-generated images, just over two months before the general election. The body has set up a unit to monitor AI-related threats.
Just over two months before Nigeria's general election, the country's electoral process is under scrutiny over the role of artificial intelligence (AI). The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the body that runs elections in the West African state, recently released a preliminary voter register that reportedly contains many images believed to be AI-generated. The finding has raised doubts about the commission's readiness for the vote, referred to as the 2027 general election.
President Bola Tinubu is running on a platform of tackling insecurity and resolving the economic crisis. His challengers include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and senior opposition figure Peter Obi.
Irregularities in the register
Signs of AI use include exaggerated facial features in photos, along with inconsistencies such as duplicate names and even people who have died since the previous election. INEC chairman Joash Amupitan said the commission is investigating and has created a dedicated unit to monitor AI-related threats, detect deepfakes and protect the integrity of the process.
Disinformation is not new
Fabricated images, doctored audio and fake videos have circulated in Nigeria before. Ahead of the 2023 election, deepfakes falsely tied candidates to terror-related activity. Lois Ugbede, assistant editor at the fact-checking platform DUBAWA, said AI-driven disinformation is becoming commonplace and that parties are already using inflated crowds to suggest broad support.
Akintunde Babatunde, executive director of the Abuja-based Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development, warned of a deeper danger: people may start doubting authentic information. He cited a lawmaker who made inflammatory remarks at a campaign rally and then claimed the clips were manipulated.
Chibuike Mgbeahuruike, an election consultant at the Centre for Democracy and Development, said AI is not inherently a threat; the problem is the absence of effective accountability for how it is deployed.
Technology in Nigerian elections
Nigeria has used biometric technology in voting since 2011. In the 2023 election, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) suffered failures because of poor cell signals. More than 103 million people are registered to vote. Turnout in 2023 was 27% of registered voters, the lowest since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
