The European Union has raised concerns over the growing threat of artificial intelligence-generated fake news ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, warning that manipulated images, videos and audio recordings could mislead millions of voters.
The warning came as the Independent National Electoral Commission intensified measures to protect the electoral process from deepfakes, disinformation and other AI-driven threats.
The EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Programme said electoral institutions, media organisations, technology platforms and citizens must strengthen their capacity to detect and respond to manipulated information before and during the elections.
Speaking on behalf of the EU-SDGN Programme, Lanre Arogundade said advances in artificial intelligence had made it increasingly difficult to distinguish genuine electoral information from fabricated content.
He said the technology could produce convincing images, videos and audio recordings capable of spreading falsehoods to millions of people within minutes.
According to Mr Arogundade, Nigeria must urgently assess whether its electoral institutions, media, technology platforms and citizens are sufficiently prepared to confront the emerging threat.
He spoke ahead of a two-day national summit scheduled for 2 and 3 November 2026, at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
The summit, titled “Beyond the Ballot: Safeguarding Electoral Information Integrity in the Age of AI,” is being organised by the International Press Centre and the Centre for Media and Society, in collaboration with DAI and International IDEA under the EU-SDGN Programme.
INEC deploys AI safeguards
The warning comes as INEC moves to strengthen its own defences against AI-generated electoral disinformation.
The commission has established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division within its Information and Communications Technology Department and integrated automated AI auditing tools into its results verification process.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, said the initiative would operate under a five-pillar AI governance framework with mandatory human oversight.
The commission is also developing an AI governance policy and working with technology and development partners on measures to detect anomalies and counter attempts to manipulate electoral information.
Deepfakes, fake results threaten trust
Stakeholders have identified AI-generated election announcements, fabricated political content, cloned voices and fake result sheets as potential threats to voter confidence.
The danger, according to electoral experts, extends beyond convincing voters to believe false information. The widespread circulation of convincing fabrications could also cause citizens to distrust genuine information released by electoral authorities.
Mr Amupitan recently warned that the proliferation of deepfakes could make truth itself difficult to establish during the election period.
He has therefore insisted that AI must support, rather than replace, human decision-making, stressing that algorithms would not determine the outcome of the 2027 elections.
250 stakeholders expected at summit
The November summit is expected to attract about 250 participants, including representatives of INEC, media organisations, technology platforms, fact-checking organisations, civil society groups, government institutions and academia.
Participants will examine the potential impact of AI-generated deepfakes, coordinated disinformation campaigns and foreign information manipulation on Nigeria’s electoral process.
A major feature of the summit will be an interactive simulation of an AI-driven electoral disinformation crisis, designed to test how institutions and other information actors respond when misleading content spreads rapidly.
The organisers said the objective was to move beyond discussions about information disorder and identify practical measures for protecting the integrity of electoral information.
Platforms, media urged to act
The summit will also examine the responsibilities of digital platforms and social media content creators, as well as the evolving role of journalism in an AI-driven information environment.
Participants are expected to develop strategies for detecting manipulated content, verifying election-related claims and communicating accurate information during electoral emergencies.
Media organisations are also being encouraged to strengthen digital forensic capabilities and verify election-related material before publication.
The discussions will seek to balance the fight against disinformation with the protection of freedom of expression, media independence and citizens’ right to information.
AI could shape 2027 information space
With political campaigns and voter engagement increasingly dependent on digital platforms, stakeholders say AI-generated content could become a major feature of the 2027 electoral environment.
The technology can be used to impersonate candidates, fabricate statements, manipulate audiovisual material and circulate misleading claims on a large scale.
The EU and Nigerian electoral stakeholders therefore want stronger coordination among INEC, the media, technology companies, civil society organisations and citizens to ensure that voters have access to credible information throughout the electoral process.
The broader AI and democracy discussions have also identified potential benefits of the technology in election logistics, cybersecurity, voter information and the detection of unusual electoral patterns, provided that human oversight remains central.
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