2027: AI misuse no longer a distant risk – INEC

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned that the misuse of artificial intelligence in creating and spreading manipulated content is “no longer a distant, theoretical risk” to the 2027 general elections.

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The commission said the growing accessibility of generative AI had made it cheaper and considerably harder to detect fabricated audio, videos and images, raising concerns about the potential impact on voters and electoral credibility.

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This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, on Monday.

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The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, raised the concern on Monday in Abuja while declaring open a capacity-building workshop for Public Affairs Officers drawn from across the states.

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Haruna said the threat extended beyond fabricated content, noting that AI could also be deployed to produce highly targeted messages designed to feed conflicting narratives to different groups of voters.

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“Generative AI has made it cheaper and considerably harder to detect manipulated audio, video and images,” he said.

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He added that the development made it imperative for electoral technology and electoral communication to be treated as interconnected aspects of election management.

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Haruna recalled that the INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, recently said electoral credibility no longer depended only on ballot papers, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines and result sheets, but also on the information environment in which voters formed their judgments.

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According to him, Amupitan had called for electoral technology and electoral communication to be treated “not as separate concerns but as a single discipline.”

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Haruna said the workshop, themed “Strengthening PAOs Capacity for Credible, Verified and Responsible Election Communication Towards 2027,” was designed to equip INEC’s public affairs officers with the skills required to respond to the emerging information challenges.

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Describing PAOs as “the frontline communicators of INEC in the states,” he said, “the credibility of INEC’s communication, in many respects, begins with the work you do.”

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The national commissioner said the officers would receive training in verification, escalation and clear, consistent messaging, adding that the skills would be tested in real time as the 2027 elections approach.

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In her welcome remarks, Eta-Messi said the officers had a major responsibility in shaping public perception of the commission.

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“It is through you that Nigerians form much of their impression of who we are, what we stand for, and how reliable our information is,” she said.

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Eta-Messi said INEC operated under constant public scrutiny and was regularly confronted with attempts to misrepresent its work and undermine public confidence.

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She disclosed that the workshop was not a one-off engagement, saying further capacity-building interventions were at an advanced stage of planning with support from development partners.

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The director described the training as “the beginning of sustained engagement” to ensure that the officers were adequately prepared for their responsibilities.

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Presenting the objectives of the workshop, the Deputy Director, Information and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, said the programme was designed to strengthen the practical communication skills required by PAOs in their day-to-day duties and as the 2027 elections draw closer.

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He said the training would clarify escalation lines between PAOs, heads of department, the Voter Education and Publicity Department and Resident Electoral Commissioners.

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Ifogah added that the programme would strengthen consistency in press statements, talking points and social media communication, while building the officers’ capacity to monitor the information ecosystem and respond to misinformation and disinformation.

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He said the workshop would also introduce participants to “the responsible use of artificial intelligence in communication work, including its practical applications, its limitations, and the safeguards required around confidentiality and verification.”

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Ifogah said participants were expected to leave the workshop with “a shared appreciation of the standards of accuracy, consistency and professionalism required of every Public Affairs Officer of this Commission,” particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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