Daud Olatunji
The Independent National Electoral Commission has identified and flagged officials in about 10 states over the uploading of artificial intelligence-generated photographs into the national voters’ register, warning that those found culpable will face disciplinary action.
The commission also disclosed that it had removed AI-generated photographs detected on the voters’ register as part of efforts to protect the integrity and credibility of the electoral database ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this on Wednesday during a webinar organised by the PUNCH Media Foundation, with the theme, ‘AI, Misinformation and Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Safeguarding the Truth, Protecting the Vote’.
Haruna, who is also the Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, described the development as one of the emerging challenges confronting the commission as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible and its applications more difficult to regulate.
He said the commission had already identified several AI-generated photographs uploaded to the voters’ register and subsequently removed them.
According to him, while INEC may find it difficult to prevent members of the public from manipulating or enhancing their photographs before submitting them during voter registration, the commission has greater control over its personnel involved in such practices.
He disclosed that officials implicated in the violations had been identified and flagged for necessary disciplinary measures.
“We have already seen one of the challenges, which is that a lot of AI-generated photographs were posted onto the voters’ register, which, as we have said, we have had to take down,” Haruna said.
He added, “But the ones involving our own staff, where it is our own staff that did so, that one is within our control. We are in the process of addressing it. They have been flagged.”
The national commissioner further revealed that INEC had obtained the identities of the officials involved across approximately 10 states, stressing that the commission would not overlook the alleged misconduct.
“We have their names across about 10 states, and obviously, they are going to face disciplinary action,” he said.
The development raises fresh concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s voters’ register, particularly as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections, where the credibility of the electoral process will depend partly on the accuracy and reliability of the commission’s voter database.
Meanwhile, Haruna disclosed that INEC had developed a policy framework to guide its deployment and regulation of artificial intelligence in the electoral process but was still working to finalise the document.
He explained that the rapid evolution of AI technology had created regulatory difficulties globally, including in countries with advanced technological and democratic systems.
According to him, the pace of innovation has made it difficult for governments to develop comprehensive regulations capable of addressing every emerging application of artificial intelligence.
“As you know very well, it is new territory out there. Even the most advanced countries don’t have what you might call concrete, specific policies about AI because these things are evolving,” he stated.
Haruna, however, assured that INEC had developed ideas on how to deploy the technology responsibly and address its potential misuse during elections.
He said the commission would soon consolidate its proposed policy and make it available to journalists.
“But we have at least some ideas of what we want to do and how we want to use that. We have that policy. Very soon, we will concretise it, and we will be able to share it with the media,” he added.
The commission’s disclosure comes amid growing concerns over the potential use of artificial intelligence to manipulate electoral information, generate misleading images and videos, impersonate political actors and spread misinformation during election campaigns.
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