By Akombo Aondona, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday 22 May 2025 says it will adopt the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for elections and electoral activities in Nigeria.
In the commission regular weekly meeting today the approval was given for the creation of an Artificial Intelligence unit under its ICT department to harness the positives sides of AI and mitigate it negative impact on elections.
A statement in Abuja by the INEC National Commissioner and chairman Information and Voters Education Committee Sam Olumekun, said the initiative put the commission in the forefront of institutionalising AI.
Olumekun wrote: “The Commission held its regular weekly meeting today, Thursday 22nd May 2025. Among other issues, the meeting considered the increasing relevance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to elections and electoral activities in Nigeria and across the world.
“Recently, the Commission attended several conferences with colleagues around the continent on the impact of AI on elections. These interactions were not only motivated by the concern over the use of AI to spread fake news or manipulate content online but also to utilise its benefits for data-driven decision-making, risk detection and mitigation, deepening voter services automation and geo-spatial intelligence in support of logistic optimisation for better material distribution and polling unit allocation.
“Consequently, the Commission approved the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Division under the ICT Department to continue to harness the positive aspects of AI and mitigate its negative impact on elections.
“The Division will enable the Commission to better coordinate and maximise existing technology investments through centralised AI governance. It will also enhance decision-making through data-driven insights, risk management and voter engagement. Furthermore, it will strengthen electoral credibility through predictive analytics, automation and intelligent safeguards.
“This initiative puts the Commission in the forefront of institutionalising AI capabilities within our ICT infrastructure. It is also an important step in our ongoing reform of the electoral process in areas that only require administrative action by the Commission.”
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