The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has defended the use of artificial intelligence in Nigeria’s electoral system, saying the technology can strengthen democracy despite the risks associated with its misuse.

Amupitan stated this on Monday, November 2, 2026, at The Beyond the Ballot Summit in Abuja, where he highlighted the potential benefits of AI in improving election management and administrative efficiency.

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According to the INEC chairman, artificial intelligence can support voter registration, logistics planning, data analysis and the management of large voter databases.

He declared, “Artificial Intelligence, AI, is not an enemy of democracy.”

However, Amupitan warned that the growing accessibility of generative AI tools had made it easier for malicious actors to create deceptive content capable of misleading voters and weakening confidence in elections.

He expressed concern that such tools could be used to clone the voices of public figures, produce realistic videos of election officials making false announcements and spread fabricated information during electoral periods.

The INEC chairman explained that these threats required electoral management bodies to develop appropriate safeguards while embracing technological innovations that could improve their operations.

His remarks come as the commission prepares to integrate artificial intelligence into Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general election.

Concerns over the technology have also intensified following the discovery of suspicious photographs, including images suspected to have been generated by AI, in INEC’s preliminary Register of Voters in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.

The questionable photographs raised concerns about the integrity of voter registration records and the procedures used to capture and verify applicants’ information.

INEC acknowledged the irregularities and said it was investigating how the images entered the register.

The commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, reportedly linked some of the images to irregularities allegedly introduced by registration officers who had access to the system.

INEC maintained that the register remained preliminary and would undergo verification, data cleaning and corrections before the final version was certified.

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The commission has emphasised the need to ensure that the adoption of artificial intelligence strengthens the credibility, transparency and efficiency of Nigeria’s electoral process while preventing digital manipulation and misinformation.