The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun deploying artificial intelligence (AI) tools to strengthen election result verification, detect anomalies and monitor its electoral database ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission said it has established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division under its Information and Communication Technology Department as part of efforts to improve the integrity, efficiency and security of the electoral process.

INEC said automated AI auditing and anomaly detection tools would be integrated into result verification and database monitoring under a five-pillar governance framework.

AI To Support, Not Replace Human Decisions

The electoral commission stressed that artificial intelligence would not independently determine electoral outcomes.

According to INEC, the technology will operate under mandatory human oversight, with AI tools serving as support systems for identifying unusual patterns, verifying information and strengthening the monitoring of electoral data.

The development comes as the commission intensifies preparations for the 2027 elections, including a nationwide mock accreditation and simulation exercise scheduled for November 2026.

The exercise will test election personnel, hardware and network protocols ahead of the polls.

INEC Plans Readiness Audits Nationwide

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, said the commission’s preparations were focused on ensuring that the 2027 election meets high standards of credibility.

“This 100-day milestone is not just a countdown. It is a call to action,” Amupitan said.

He added that the commission was working to ensure that the election would meet international standards.

“Our aim is to ensure that the 2027 general election is not only successful, but serves as a global benchmark for transparency, integrity and peace,” he said.

The commission said state-level training for Registration Area Technical Support Personnel, known as RACtechs, would take place in November, followed by a strategic briefing on December 13, 2026.

INEC also plans readiness audits across the 774 Local Government Areas on January 13 and 14, 2027, to assess operational preparedness ahead of the elections.

Technical Support For Registration Areas

The commission said refresher training would be conducted for personnel across all 8,809 Registration Area Centres, with on-site technical support provided during the election period.

Amupitan said previous off-cycle elections had provided opportunities to test improvements in the commission’s systems and identify areas requiring further strengthening.

“These off-cycle elections provided the vital testing ground for key structural upgrades,” he said.

According to him, the exercises demonstrated the importance of early deployment of technology, logistics and security preparations.

He described early deployment of election materials, agile logistics and intelligence-based security arrangements as essential to seamless election delivery.

Police To Lead Election Security

On election security, INEC said the Nigeria Police Force would remain the lead agency, while joint training for Electoral Security Personnel was ongoing through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

The commission said risk-management tools, including the Election Risk Management system and Election Violence Monitoring, Analysis and Tracking system, were being used to monitor incidents and strengthen security planning.

The AI initiative forms part of a broader technology-focused approach to the 2027 election. INEC has also said it is strengthening its existing electoral technologies, including result-management systems and the INEC Result Viewing Portal.

With AI auditing and anomaly detection being added to mock accreditation, readiness audits, technical training and enhanced security monitoring, the commission says it is seeking to strengthen the technological and operational systems that will support the 2027 general election.

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