The electoral commission says some registration officers allegedly manipulated voter records using their system access, while others submitted poorly captured photographs. INEC begins data cleanup ahead of final register certification in December.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has traced the appearance of suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other questionable entries in Nigeria’s preliminary voters’ register to alleged irregularities committed by some of its registration officers.

The commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, disclosed this on Friday during an interview on Arise Television, explaining that some officials allegedly exploited their access to INEC’s registration system to introduce irregular records into the database.

According to Bayode, the commission uncovered the suspicious entries after conducting an examination of the voter database using its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

He stressed that the irregularities were not widespread among all registration officers but involved some personnel across different states.

Bayode explained that registration officers were issued individual login credentials to access the system and register eligible voters. However, investigations reportedly revealed that some officials used their access in ways that compromised the integrity of the records.

“We have registration officers on the field. And these registration officers, they have login details to log into the system. What we have found is that some of these registration officers, not all of them, across the states nationwide, have done different things to bring these irregularities onto the register,” he said.

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The ICT director further disclosed that while some of the suspicious photographs appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence, others were products of poor registration procedures.

He said the commission had identified the questionable records and established how some of the irregularities entered the system, although the reasons behind the actions of the officers involved remained unclear.

“Some of these pictures are AI-generated. Some of them are not AI-generated, but very bad registration. And this thing got into the register by the registration officers because they have access to register people,” Bayode added.

He said the commission was already working to correct the anomalies, noting that efforts to clean up the database began before the preliminary voters’ register was made publicly available.

However, he acknowledged the pressure on INEC to complete the exercise within the statutory 90-day period.

Public Outcry Over Suspicious Voter Records

The disclosure comes amid growing public concerns over the credibility of the preliminary voters’ register published by INEC on October 26.

The controversy intensified after screenshots circulated on social media showing photographs suspected to be AI-generated attached to voter records, particularly in parts of Edo State.

Other concerns raised by members of the public included alleged duplicate voter registrations and complaints from some Nigerians who claimed that their personal details were missing from the online register.

The development triggered questions about the effectiveness of INEC’s voter registration and verification procedures, as well as the safeguards protecting the commission’s electoral database from manipulation.

In response, INEC had earlier confirmed that questionable records were identified and flagged during the physical display of the preliminary register at Registration Areas across the country between October 9 and 15.

In a statement issued on October 27, the commission said it had commenced a review and corrective exercise to address the identified discrepancies.

INEC also clarified that the online publication represented the preliminary register and should not be mistaken for the final certified voters’ list.

The commission maintained that the publication did not capture all the data-cleanup activities still underway.

INEC Sets December 15 Deadline for Final Register

INEC is expected to complete its verification, adjudication and data-cleanup exercises before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026.

The exercise is considered critical to ensuring that the final database accurately reflects eligible voters and excludes questionable, duplicated or improperly registered records.

The latest revelations have placed renewed attention on the commission’s internal controls, particularly the level of access granted to registration officers and the measures available to prevent the manipulation of sensitive electoral information.

With Nigeria approaching another election cycle, the credibility of the voters’ register remains a major concern, as its accuracy is fundamental to the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.