The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it is exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence to reduce errors in election result management ahead of the 2027 general election.
The initiative is also aimed at combating misinformation, improving access to credible electoral information and strengthening cybersecurity, although experts have warned that AI could be exploited to manipulate voters and undermine public confidence in elections.
INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, disclosed this on Thursday at the launch of the AI for Elections Programme and Hackathon organised by Rise Networks in Abuja.
Bayode explained that the proposed system would compare figures entered electronically with those on paper result sheets and scanned copies, flagging discrepancies that must be resolved before results can be uploaded.
He said the technology would help minimise human errors, improve operational efficiency and ensure that figures published on INEC’s portal correspond with results recorded at polling units.
He, however, cautioned developers against compromising electoral security and critical infrastructure, urging them to use publicly available or duly authorised data.
Meanwhile, Meta’s Head of Public Policy for Anglophone West Africa, Sade Dada, warned that AI-generated videos and cloned voices were making it increasingly difficult to distinguish authentic information from manipulated content.
Dada noted that AI could also help address the challenge through content verification, digital literacy and multilingual information services.
She cited GovGuide Nigeria, an AI-powered chatbot developed through a partnership involving Meta, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, and Publica AI. The platform provides government information in English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.
The convener of the programme, Dr Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said the initiative was designed to develop practical technological solutions to electoral challenges ahead of the 2027 general election.
She explained that the programme would feature a national hackathon, an AI Innovations Development Hub and a Community of Practice to support the development of solutions addressing electoral information, data analysis, cybersecurity and citizen accountability.
Akerele-Ogunsiji added that applications opened on October 22 and would close on November 12, 2026, with eligible Nigerians aged 18 and above allowed to participate individually or in teams of up to four members.
The organisers announced a total prize pool of ten million naira, with four million naira for the winner, two million five hundred thousand naira for the runner-up and one million five hundred thousand naira for third place. Four additional special awards of five hundred thousand naira each will also be presented.
