By Gabriel Ameh
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned Nigerian editors and newsroom managers to strengthen fact-checking and digital verification systems as artificial intelligence-driven deepfakes emerge as a growing threat to the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the warning on Thursday at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, where he urged the media to make verification a central part of election reporting.
Represented by the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, Amupitan said generative artificial intelligence, voice cloning and deepfake technology could enable malicious actors to produce convincing fake videos, audio recordings and election result documents within minutes.
According to him, the spread of such fabricated content could go beyond misleading individual voters and create widespread distrust in genuine information released by electoral authorities.
INEC urges editors to verify election information
Amupitan called on news organisations to establish stronger fact-checking mechanisms and use digital verification tools before publishing election-related content.
He also cautioned media organisations against publishing or amplifying privately collated election results, particularly figures circulated by political actors and other sources on social media.
The INEC chairman stressed that the pressure to publish quickly should not override the need to verify information, particularly during elections when false claims can influence public perception and create confusion.
He urged editors to authenticate election results through official INEC channels before publication.
INEC establishes AI Division
As part of its response to the changing information environment, Amupitan disclosed that INEC had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division within its Information and Communications Technology Department.
The commission has also begun deploying AI tools in its results management process to help identify discrepancies and administrative errors in election result records before final verification.
However, the technology is intended to support election officials rather than replace human decision-making. Reports on INEC’s AI programme indicate that automated checks remain subject to human oversight and verification.
The development forms part of INEC’s broader preparations for the 2027 elections as the commission seeks to strengthen the use of technology while addressing emerging risks associated with artificial intelligence and digital misinformation.
Journalists’ welfare also a concern
Amupitan also linked the welfare of journalists to the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process, warning that poorly remunerated journalists could become more vulnerable to political inducement.
President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, said the media had a responsibility to protect democratic institutions, hold those in power accountable and provide space for diverse voices.
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, also called for a joint rapid-response mechanism involving newsrooms to tackle election misinformation ahead of the 2027 polls.
The 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference is being held in Enugu under the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” with discussions focused on the media’s role in protecting democratic processes amid the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digital disinformation.
