Electoral management bodies in West Africa must build safeguards against the misuse of artificial intelligence rather than try to avoid the technology, the head of Nigeria’s electoral commission has said.

Prof. Joash Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), made the remarks in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving a delegation from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC).

The visit followed the validation of regional guidelines on the use of AI in electoral processes, developed by a regional working group established after an ECONEC symposium on election integrity in Dakar, Senegal, last year.

Prof. Amupitan acknowledged widespread public skepticism regarding AI but stressed that the technology is already deeply embedded in modern digital infrastructure.

“Even if you don’t want to use it, every system you have, even your phone, already has AI in it,” Prof. Amupitan said. “When we say we want to use AI, it means having features or cyber skills that will prevent your system from being used against you.”

Voter registration and public trust

The INEC chief identified voter registration and public engagement—such as automated systems to answer citizens’ inquiries—as key areas where AI can enhance efficiency and bolster public trust.

He noted that the new regional guidelines come at a crucial time for Nigeria as it prepares for its 2027 general election. Under the revised timetable aligned with the Electoral Act 2026, national polls for the presidency and National Assembly are scheduled for 16 January 2027, followed by state-level elections on 16 February.

Prof. Amupitan called for deeper regional cooperation among member commissions in areas including electronic result transmission, record management, risk assessment, and political party regulation.

Regional consensus

Serigne Ka, leader of the ECONEC delegation and Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division, confirmed that the draft guidelines had been formally validated following two days of technical review by information technology experts from across the sub-region.

“AI is here to stay,” Mr. Ka said. “There is no way we can do away with AI anymore. How we are going to manage it—that is what we are thinking about.”

ECONEC noted that attention will now shift toward supporting electoral commissions across West Africa in applying the guidelines, with further technical assistance planned ahead of upcoming regional election cycles.