The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), has said algorithms will not determine the outcome of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the decision on who governs Nigeria rests solely with voters.
Amupitan stated this on Wednesday at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, themed “Safeguarding the 2027 General Elections in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”
He warned that although artificial intelligence could influence electoral administration and the information available to voters, the technology must remain subordinate to human judgment and democratic institutions.
“Algorithms will not, and must never, decide the 2027 vote,” he said, adding that “The choice of who leads Nigeria belongs exclusively to the Nigerian people.
“Algorithms may predict patterns; they may optimise routes, and they may even suggest preferences. But they do not have a conscience, they do not have a country, and they do not have a vote.”
The INEC chairman, however, acknowledged that AI would significantly shape the electoral environment, influencing the circulation of information, election logistics and the activities of those seeking to manipulate the process.
“While algorithms will not decide the vote, AI will undeniably shape the information environment in which citizens form their choices, influence the speed and security of electoral logistics, and alter the tactics of both democratic actors and anti-democratic disruptors,” he said.
The forum, co-convened by INEC and Yiaga Africa, brought together electoral officials, political party leaders, civil society organisations, media executives, security agencies, technology companies and international development partners, among others.
Amupitan described the 2027 elections as the largest democratic exercise on the African continent, noting that INEC would conduct the polls for more than 103 million registered voters across 176,846 polling units in 774 local government areas.
He said the elections would involve multiple ballots for the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state Houses of Assembly contests.
The chairman disclosed that INEC had completed 10 of the 14 major operational milestones outlined under the Electoral Act 2026.
He added that the commission had procured additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices, digitised candidate nominations through its INEC Candidates Nomination Portal and processed more than 15,000 nominations across 22 political parties.
Amupitan also listed the introduction of online voter registration as one of the commission’s initiatives to improve electoral administration.
On the potential benefits of AI, he said the technology could improve logistics and route planning, assist in auditing election results, enhance biometric database management, facilitate voter engagement in multiple languages and strengthen cybersecurity.
