The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched a dedicated Artificial Intelligence division within its ICT Department. The division will verify election result sheets. It will curb fake news. It will support the deployment of 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) units. The commission disclosed the move this week.
INEC has faced criticism over result transmission and verification. In 2019, server issues delayed uploads. In 2023, BVAS worked in many polling units but failed in others. The IReV portal was slow. Fake results circulated online. The commission has since upgraded systems. It integrated the National Identification Number. It expanded the voter register. The AI division is a new step. It follows a July 2026 SBM Intelligence report that found 66.5% of Nigerians are extremely or very concerned that AI-generated political misinformation could undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.
The AI division will use machine learning to detect anomalies in result sheets. It will flag discrepancies. It will verify uploaded documents. It will monitor social media for fake news. It will deploy bots to detect and counter disinformation. The 57,000 new BVAS units will replace older devices. They will be deployed for the 2027 general election. The commission said the division will improve accuracy and speed.
The SBM Intelligence report, titled “The Algorithm and the Ballot Box: AI, Misinformation, and the Political Information Environment Ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 Elections,” found that social media is the primary news source for 52.1% of Nigerians, with WhatsApp dominating. The zone most exposed to manipulation, the South East, is the least concerned. The report also warned that Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework is structurally unprepared. The Cybercrimes Act was drafted before deepfakes existed. The pending AI Commission bill lacks enforcement provisions. INEC’s new division is a response to those gaps. It is a start. It is not a system.
The deployment comes amid scepticism. INEC has promised reform before. Technology can fail. Power supply is unreliable. Network coverage is uneven. Training is essential. The AI tools must be tested. The commission must build public trust. Verification is not just technical. It is political.
Winners: INEC, which shows innovation. Voters, if results are accurate. Political parties, if transparency improves. Tech vendors, who supply systems. Cybersecurity firms, which gain a market. Losers: Fake news peddlers, who face detection. Officials who manipulate results, who face scrutiny. The South East, which remains vulnerable despite its exposure. The regulatory framework, which lags behind the technology. No serious losers if the systems work.
Bottom Line: INEC created an AI division. It will verify results and fight fake news. 57,000 new BVAS units will deploy. SBM Intelligence says two-thirds of Nigerians fear AI misinformation. The commission must deliver. Technology helps. Trust must follow. The window before 2027 is closing.