On May 22, 2025, Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), approved the creation of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division under its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department. This division is not just a new office—it marks a major technological shift in how Nigeria plans, manages, and protects its elections. According to INEC, this move is aimed at using AI to enhance credibility, manage risks, and make smarter, faster decisions throughout the electoral cycle.
What the AI Division Will Do
INEC’s new AI Division is being set up to handle five key responsibilities:
1. Improve Decision-Making
AI will process massive amounts of electoral data, including voter behavior, turnout patterns, and resource needs. This means INEC can make faster and more informed decisions—like knowing where to allocate more materials or security before election day.
2. Tackle Fake News and Election Interference
Using Natural Language Processing (NLP), AI tools will monitor social media and flag misinformation, deepfakes, and manipulated videos that could mislead voters or incite violence. This is especially important as Nigeria continues to battle the harmful effects of fake news during elections.
3. Predict Problems Before They Happen
INEC plans to use predictive analytics to forecast areas that may face voter suppression, technical breakdowns, or electoral violence. This allows the Commission to act early—deploying resources or law enforcement to trouble spots before problems escalate.
4. Automate Key Election Processes
Repetitive tasks like verifying voter data, assigning election materials, and responding to public inquiries will be handled by automated systems powered by AI. For example, chatbots can answer voter questions 24/7, reducing the burden on INEC’s human staff.
5. Ensure Transparency and Public Trust
With the help of AI and possibly blockchain technology, election results can be tracked and verified by all stakeholders in real time. INEC also plans to make audit trails clearer, so citizens and observers can see how results were counted, verified, and shared.
Global Inspiration and Local Responsibility
INEC isn’t acting in isolation. Many electoral commissions around the world are already embracing AI—from Estonia’s e-voting platforms to India’s voter engagement systems. Nigeria is now joining that list but with a strong focus on transparency, data protection, and public trust. The AI Division will be guided by an ethical framework, with oversight from experts in law, governance, and civil society. This ensures the use of AI is fair, secure, and respects voter rights.
Partnerships and Long-Term Goals
To build and run the AI Division effectively, INEC will collaborate with key agencies like the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). It will also engage international tech companies, universities, and civic groups to keep up with global AI trends while addressing Nigeria’s unique challenges. Long term, the division will help INEC reduce manual errors, manage costs, and increase voter participation by making election services smarter and more accessible.
Conclusion: A New Era for Nigerian Elections
INEC’s decision to launch an Artificial Intelligence Division is a landmark move in Nigeria’s democratic journey. It signals the beginning of an era where elections are no longer just about ballot boxes and voter cards but also about data, automation, and digital trust. If implemented well, this initiative could set a gold standard for other African democracies. It’s a bold response to the challenges of today’s digital world—and a smart investment in the future of Nigeria’s democracy.
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