Joash Amupitan assures Nigerians that artificial intelligence will not determine election outcomes, discloses progress on preparations for the polls and highlights plans to use technology to improve electoral logistics.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, says he has entrusted the enormous responsibility of conducting Nigeria’s 2027 general election to God as the commission prepares for what is expected to be a major nationwide electoral exercise.

Amupitan made the remarks on Wednesday at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, where he acknowledged the weight of his responsibilities and explained how his faith helps him navigate the demands of his office.

Speaking at the event, organised by Yiaga Africa, the INEC chairman said the magnitude of the task ahead had become increasingly apparent, but he remained encouraged by his religious convictions.

“I’m being reminded of the enormity of the task on me. I’m also encouraged by the word of God, which is, ‘Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ So that has been my anchor,” he said.

Amupitan added that people sometimes interpreted his composure as a sign that he was not worried about the challenges ahead.

“And sometimes people say, ‘You are not bothered.’ I said, I’ve handed over everything to God,” he stated.

The forum, themed “Safeguarding the 2027 General Election in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” brought attention to the opportunities and risks associated with the growing use of AI in election management, political communication and the spread of information.

AI Will Not Decide Nigeria’s 2027 Election — Amupitan

Beyond his personal reflections, Amupitan delivered a firm message on the role of artificial intelligence in the forthcoming general election, insisting that technology must not displace the authority of Nigerian voters.

He said the choice of who governs the country must remain exclusively with the electorate, regardless of how sophisticated digital tools become.

“No, algorithms will not and must never decide the 2027 votes. Algorithms will not decide the vote because the choice of who leads Nigeria belongs exclusively to the Nigerian people,” he said.

The INEC chairman acknowledged that artificial intelligence would increasingly influence the information available to voters, the movement of election materials and the way political parties communicate with the public.

However, he maintained that its application must strengthen democratic institutions rather than undermine electoral credibility.

“Our task, therefore, at this forum and within the Commission is to ensure that AI remains a servant of democracy, not its master,” Amupitan said.

His comments come amid growing concerns about the potential use of AI-generated misinformation, manipulated images, fake videos and other digital content to influence public opinion during election campaigns.

INEC Faces Challenge of Managing More Than 103 Million Voters

Amupitan highlighted the scale of the preparations required for the 2027 general election, noting that INEC would have to manage an electorate of more than 103 million registered voters across 176,846 polling units in Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

He said the size of the exercise, combined with difficult terrain, insecurity and poor network coverage in some communities, presented significant operational challenges for the commission.

According to him, effective planning and the responsible use of technology would be essential to ensuring that election materials, personnel and other resources reach their destinations on time.

Amupitan also disclosed that INEC had completed 10 of the 14 major activities on its election timetable, despite the tight deadlines prescribed by the Electoral Act 2026.

He said the commission had procured additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices and had begun receiving them to strengthen its technological capacity ahead of the polls.

The BVAS technology is used to verify voters’ identities and authenticate their eligibility to vote during elections.

INEC Expands Digital Election Preparations

The INEC chairman also outlined several digital initiatives introduced to improve election administration and streamline processes involving political parties and voters.

He disclosed that the commission had digitised candidate nominations through its INEC Candidate Nomination Portal, which had processed more than 15,000 nominations across 22 political parties.

The commission has also introduced online voter registration and is implementing a decentralised, multi-phase exercise for collecting Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) across the country.

These measures, he said, form part of broader efforts to strengthen election management through technology and improve the commission’s operational readiness.

How AI Could Improve Election Logistics

Amupitan said artificial intelligence could help INEC make better decisions about the deployment of election materials and personnel through predictive modelling and geospatial analysis.

He explained that AI-powered systems could analyse traffic conditions, weather forecasts, road networks and security incidents to identify suitable routes for transporting sensitive election materials to polling units.

Such systems could also help the commission anticipate weather-related disruptions and identify logistical difficulties before election day, allowing officials to take preventive measures.

The technology could prove particularly useful in communities where difficult terrain, limited infrastructure and security concerns complicate the movement of election personnel and materials.

However, the effectiveness of these systems would depend on the availability of reliable data, appropriate safeguards and human oversight.

AI to Help Detect Election Result Irregularities

On electoral integrity, Amupitan said biometric voter accreditation and electronic transmission of polling-unit results had helped address vulnerabilities associated with manual accreditation and arbitrary manipulation.

He added that artificial intelligence could provide an additional layer of scrutiny by examining uploaded polling-unit result sheets for mathematical inconsistencies, unusual entry patterns and discrepancies in image quality.

According to him, AI-assisted auditing could help identify suspicious entries and flag results requiring further examination by election officials.

However, he stressed that artificial intelligence would not replace the legally prescribed process for declaring election results.

Amupitan maintained that human collation remained the statutory standard, with AI serving as a supporting tool for identifying anomalies rather than determining electoral outcomes.

INEC Seeks Collaboration to Protect Electoral Integrity

The INEC chairman said the commission would continue working with civil society organisations, technology companies, regulatory institutions and security agencies to maximise the benefits of artificial intelligence while addressing threats to the electoral process.

He emphasised that the growing influence of technology in elections required careful management to prevent its misuse and protect public confidence in democratic institutions.

For Amupitan, the central objective remains ensuring that technological innovation supports credible elections without interfering with the fundamental right of Nigerians to choose their leaders.

As preparations for the 2027 general election continue, the commission faces the task of combining technological innovation with effective logistics, transparency and strict adherence to electoral laws.

Amupitan's message at the forum was clear: while artificial intelligence may help INEC organise elections and identify potential irregularities, the decision on who leads Nigeria must remain in the hands of Nigerian voters.