Amupitan: Nigerians will Decide Outcome of 2027 Elections, Not Algorithms

Adedayo Akinwale reported from Abuja that INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan has stated that algorithms will not decide the outcome of the 2027 general election. At the AI and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, Amupitan explicitly affirmed that artificial intelligence (AI) would not and must not influence the election results. He emphasized that the choice of who leads Nigeria is the sole prerogative of the Nigerian people.

Despite these unequivocal statements, Amupitan acknowledged that AI-driven geospatial analysis and predictive modelling could enhance electoral logistics and aid the commission in meeting its operational needs. Since his inauguration on October 23, 2025, Amupitan has managed five major elections and over 16 by-elections, during which he oversaw the commission's testing of predictive logistics optimisation.

The chairman reported that INEC's efforts resulted in significant improvements, such as early deployment of election materials and an early commencement of voting in all the elections conducted. During a panel discussion, Amupitan revealed that AI components were already integrated into certain technologies used by the commission, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

He explained that facial recognition and fingerprint technology employed for voter accreditation were AI-driven, alongside their use in smart card readers preceding BVAS. Amupitan also disclosed that the commission is refining its systems to tackle AI-related challenges and ensure the technology is utilized lawfully. However, he could not disclose certain details of these preparations publicly due to cybersecurity concerns.

On October 6, at a press conference, Amupitan announced the establishment of a dedicated AI division within INEC's Information and Communication Technology department to support result verification and bolster cybersecurity ahead of the 2027 elections. He further disclosed that the commission had incorporated automated AI auditing tools into its result verification process under a five-pillar AI governance framework, which mandates human oversight.

Amupitan confirmed that the commission is currently finalizing its AI governance policy to regulate the use of the technology in the electoral process.