INEC Chairman: AI Won’t Decide 2027 Election, Assures Nigerians of Human Control

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not determine the outcome of the 2027 General Elections.

Amupitan said the power to choose Nigeria’s leaders remains solely with citizens through their votes, stressing that technology must only support democracy and not replace human decisions.

Speaking at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, he declared that “algorithms will not, and must never, decide the 2027 vote.”

He explained that while AI can predict patterns, improve processes and support planning, it does not have the conscience or authority to make electoral choices.

The INEC chairman said the 2027 election would be one of the largest democratic exercises in Africa, involving more than 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units across 774 Local Government Areas.

He noted that AI would play a role in shaping the information environment, improving election logistics and influencing the activities of both democratic actors and those seeking to disrupt the process.

Amupitan said INEC had already completed ten of the 14 major operational milestones required under the Electoral Act 2026 as preparations for the election continue.

He added that the commission had procured more BVAS machines, digitised candidate nominations and introduced online voter registration for the first time in Nigeria.

According to him, AI could help strengthen election administration through better logistics planning, voter engagement, cybersecurity and improved auditing processes.

However, he insisted that no major electoral decision, including result collation, voter accreditation or candidate qualification, would be fully handed over to automated systems.

“Human accountability, statutory oversight, and judicial review will remain paramount at every stage of the electoral chain,” Amupitan said.

The forum, organised by INEC and Yiaga Africa, brought together electoral bodies, political parties, civil society groups, security agencies, technology experts and international partners to discuss protecting the 2027 elections in the era of AI.