The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged Nigerian editors to strengthen fact-checking and digital verification systems ahead of the 2027 General Elections to combat the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes and disinformation.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, represented by the Enugu Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, gave the charge on Thursday at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Enugu.

Amupitan warned that generative AI, voice cloning and deepfake videos could be used to circulate fake election results, impersonate electoral officials and inflame public tensions.

He called on media organisations to establish specialised fact-checking desks, use digital forensic tools and verify election results through INEC before publication.

The chairman also cautioned media organisations against publishing or amplifying privately collated or unofficial election results, stressing that premature declarations could create conflicting narratives and undermine confidence in officially declared results.

He urged newsrooms to prioritise accuracy over the pressure to be first, noting that “in national elections, it is vastly more important to be right than to be first.”

Amupitan disclosed that INEC had established an Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT Department and was deploying AI auditing tools in its Results Management process, with human oversight under its AI Governance Framework.

He also highlighted the importance of journalists’ welfare, warning that poor remuneration and financial insecurity could make journalists vulnerable to political inducement and compromise.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Guild of Editors President, Eze Anaba, stressed the media’s responsibility to hold power accountable and strengthen democracy.

The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, called for a joint rapid-response desk involving newsrooms to counter election misinformation and urged the media to help address voter apathy.

Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, also underscored the importance of a free press to democracy, while acknowledging both the opportunities and dangers presented by artificial intelligence.

Key message ahead of 2027: Verify before publishing, resist unofficial result declarations, and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s information space.