Construction boom attracts Kenyan firm

Dar es Salaam. Growing demand for construction materials, driven by investment in housing, commercial properties and hospitality facilities, is attracting foreign businesses to Tanzania, with Kenya-based company entering the Tanzanian market to tap into the expanding opportunities.

The company, which deals in tiles, sanitaryware, taps, kitchen fittings and other home-finishing products, already opened a showroom in Dar es Salaam, where it plans to sell products sourced locally and internationally.

Its entry comes amid increased construction activity in residential, commercial and hospitality properties, creating opportunities for suppliers and domestic manufacturers seeking access to a growing market. Speaking yesterday during the opening of the Tile and Carpet Living in Style showroom, Tanzania Building Agency (TBA) Architectural Section manager Mr Godfrey Mwakabole said rising demand for accommodation, including hotels, guest houses and short-term rentals such as Airbnb, was creating investment opportunities in the construction industry.

He said the relocation of government operations to Dodoma and preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) had also contributed to investment interest in accommodation facilities and related infrastructure.

Mr Mwakabole said more people were investing in property development, converting residential houses into Airbnb accommodation and building hotels to capitalise on opportunities arising from tourism and international conferences.

He said the growing demand for construction materials was exceeding local production capacity, creating room for additional suppliers while offering local manufacturers opportunities to expand their market reach.

‘Currently, demand for construction materials exceeds local production capacity. Therefore, the entry of the Kenyan company will help complement the efforts of existing suppliers and manufacturers in meeting market demand,’ he said.

‘We are pleased to see many companies gaining confidence in the country and investing in this sector, given the growing demand for housing, residential properties and commercial buildings,’ he said.

Tile and Carpet Living in Style director Mr Chirag Sanghrajka said the company intended to work with Tanzanian manufacturers by giving them an opportunity to sell their products through its showroom.

The arrangement could give local producers access to customers through an established retail outlet, while expanding the range of products available to buyers.

Mr Sanghrajka said the company already worked with manufacturers in other markets, including businesses producing goods under its brand, and was interested in exploring similar partnerships in Tanzania.

He said the company first wanted to understand the local market and customer requirements before considering further investment in production.

‘We need to learn the ropes; we need to crawl before we can start walking,’ he said, adding that establishing manufacturing operations in Tanzania could be considered as the business develops.

‘Once we learn the Tanzanian market and its requirements, we will definitely look into manufacturing,’ he said.

The company has operated for more than 100 years and has a presence in Kenya, Rwanda, Dubai and Zanzibar.

For his part, Tile and Carpet Living in Style director Mr Chirag Sanghrajka said the company intended to work with Tanzanian manufacturers by giving them an opportunity to sell their products through its showroom.

The arrangement could give local producers access to customers through an established retail outlet, while expanding the range of products available to buyers.

Mr Sanghrajka said the company already worked with manufacturers in other markets, including businesses producing goods under its brand, and was interested in exploring similar partnerships in Tanzania.

He said the company first wanted to understand the local market and customer requirements before considering further investment in production.

‘We need to learn the ropes; we need to crawl before we can start walking,’ he said, adding that establishing manufacturing operations in Tanzania could be considered as the business develops.

‘Once we learn the Tanzanian market and its requirements, we will definitely look into manufacturing,’ he said.

The company has operated for more than 100 years and has a presence in Kenya, Rwanda, Dubai and Zanzibar.

However, Mr Sanghrajka raised concerns about the quality of building materials in African markets, arguing that consumers could be exposed to substandard products when purchasing goods based mainly on price.

2027: Hamzat unveils 100-point manifesto promises child protection agency wealth fund

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat has unveiled a 100-point manifesto promising to establish a Child Protection and Nutrition Agency create a state wealth fund and introduce measures to improve infrastructure healthcare education and security if elected governor in 2027.

Hamzat the state’s deputy governor said 87 of the 100 pledges were firm commitments within the powers of the state government while the remaining 13 would depend on consultations with the Federal Government and other institutions.

He unveiled the manifesto tagged The Lagos Promise and also known as the Hamzat Compact at the launch of his campaign theme Lagos… Forward Together organised by the Lagos APC PBAT-KOH Campaign Council 2027 at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts (National Theatre) Iganmu Lagos on Friday.

The manifesto is structured around seven pillars: People First Renewal Opportunity Machinery of Government Inclusion Security and Resilience and Every Citizen.

Hamzat promised to publish a performance scorecard to enable residents to assess his administration’s delivery of the pledges insisting that accountability would begin within his first 100 days in office.

‘If one of them is not delivered it will be noted and I must own it’ he said.

Among his first 100 days commitments Hamzat promised to send a bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly for the establishment of a Child Protection and Nutrition Agency to ensure that every child below 18 is either in school or learning a trade and has access to adequate food.

He also pledged to establish a Lagos State Service Delivery Office through an executive order. The office to be chaired by the governor would publish baseline figures against which the administration’s performance would be measured.

The APC candidate further proposed a state wealth fund with an independent board and publicly accessible accounts to preserve resources for future generations.

He promised to introduce service charters across government offices specifying the services residents should expect and the standards public institutions must meet. Under the proposed arrangement complaints would be acknowledged within 48 hours answered within seven days and resolved within 30 days.

‘Accountability will not wait for the end of my term. It begins in my first 100 days’ he said.

On healthcare Hamzat promised to increase the number of maternal and child centres from six to 15 complete ongoing hospital projects and construct two new general hospitals at Ogombo and Ibeju-Lekki.

He also pledged to upgrade 100 primary healthcare centres to flagship status and recruit more doctors nurses and midwives.

Among the projects he highlighted were the 150-bed Massey Children’s Hospital the proposed 280-bed general hospital and the 150-bed Shomolu General Hospital project.

On education he promised to strengthen the EkoEXCEL programme in public primary schools improve teaching and learning outcomes and expand technical and vocational training opportunities.

He also proposed the establishment of a University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Lagos and pledged to review teachers’ compensation packages.

‘We will review your compensation package so that your pay matches the work we demand from you’ he said.

On employment and economic opportunities Hamzat said businesses would play a major role in creating jobs and that government must remove obstacles to their growth.

He proposed a single schedule of local government charges easier business permits improved access to credit and a defined share of state procurement for qualifying small businesses.

He also promised a vocational placement scheme under which students in technical schools would spend between six and 12 months with employers with the state paying 40 per cent of their stipends.

For artisans he proposed free skills certification at their workplaces and in languages they understand.

Hamzat said the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund had provided more than N15 billion to over 21000 businesses while businesses supported through the scheme had created more than 300000 jobs.

On transportation the APC candidate promised to increase the state’s bus fleet from 1000 to 4000 with a target of transporting one million passengers daily.

He also pledged to expand the rail network extend the Blue Line to Ogbebe-Mindene and connect the Blue and Red lines through an interchange at the National Theatre Station.

He said he would work with the Federal Government to advance the Green Line from Marina towards the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

The candidate projected that the Blue Line would transport 250000 passengers daily when it reaches Trade Fair Station early next year.

On road infrastructure he promised to activate the Fourth Mainland Bridge through partnerships accelerate the coastal road along the Lekki-Epe axis and prioritise inner roads in collaboration with local governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

He also pledged to expand water transportation through an additional 140-kilometre water corridor optimise 15 ferry routes rehabilitate 27 of the state’s 47 ferry terminals and procure 75 electric ferries.

Hamzat said his administration would integrate road rail and water transportation through a unified ticketing and timetable system.

‘Lagos is a water state. The lagoon must therefore be our third highway. One ticket one timetable one integrated service across rail road and water’ he said.

On housing he promised to complete ongoing projects including Egbo Igodo Clusters 2 and 3 Lagos Homes Shongotedo Phase Two Lagos Homes Ipeche Phases Two and Three the Workers’ Village at Ipaja and Beacon Apartments at Ipaja.

He also pledged to expand affordable homeownership through partnerships with private developers with mortgage facilities requiring a 10 per cent initial deposit single-digit interest rates and longer repayment periods.

On security Hamzat promised to strengthen the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and extend its operations to all wards across the state’s 20 local government areas and 37 LCDAs.

He said his administration would expand street lighting and CCTV surveillance in residential communities establish a state intelligence centre to tackle cybercrime financial crimes and organised criminal activities and improve the welfare of security personnel.

He also pledged to recruit and train more personnel provide better accommodation and review their welfare packages in line with the prevailing cost of living.

To promote accountability he promised to establish an independent body to review complaints against security officers and the agency.

On water supply Hamzat disclosed that a 17-million-gallon water treatment facility was under construction and had been funded. He said its completion would provide clean water to an additional six million residents.

He also promised to rehabilitate 24 micro and mini waterworks repair water mains and expand the public water distribution network.

On waste management the APC candidate set a target of 95 per cent collection coverage through improved community-based collection systems and optimisation of Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators.

He promised to complete the transfer loading stations at Olusosun and Solous III alongside a waste recovery facility and a waste-to-energy plant at Agbowa.

Hamzat also pledged to integrate about 30000 residents engaged in waste collection and sorting into the formal waste management system through training equipment and improved remuneration.

The proposal comes amid persistent waste collection and disposal challenges in parts of Lagos where irregular collection and pressure on existing disposal infrastructure remain concerns for residents.

Speaking at the event Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu urged residents to support the APC candidate describing him as an experienced public administrator who had been involved in the state’s governance and development process for more than two decades.

The governor said his seven years of working closely with Hamzat had demonstrated the deputy governor’s loyalty capacity and commitment to public service.

He recalled that Hamzat had sought the governorship ticket in 2018 but stepped aside following consultations with party leaders and subsequently accepted to serve as his running mate.

Sanwo-Olu said Hamzat had played an active role in policy formulation project implementation and the day-to-day administration of the state.

He cited the COVID-19 response the development of the Blue and Red rail lines and the arrival of the first ship at the Lekki Deep Sea Port among major developments in which the deputy governor had been involved.

The governor said Lagos needed continuity to complete ongoing projects rather than experiment with a new governance structure.

‘This is not the time to experiment with Lagos. This is the time to consolidate. And consolidation is not standing still. Continuity does not mean repeating ourselves. It means finishing what was started fixing what is not working and starting what comes next in that order with a plan’ he said.

Sanwo-Olu added: ‘In seven years there has not been one day not one when I had to wonder whose side my deputy was on.

‘In Lagos there has been one government one direction and one voice. That did not happen by accident. It happened because of who he is.’

He described the proposed transition as an opportunity to sustain the state’s development agenda without a political crisis.

‘Lagos is going to change governors without a quarrel. There is no greater gift a governor can leave his people than a handover that does not break the house’ he said.

The governor urged Hamzat to remain accessible to residents complete ongoing projects and sustain the governance structure that had prepared him for leadership. He also charged the APC deputy governorship candidate Princess Damilola Sonayon-James to build a strong working relationship with Hamzat.

The Lagos APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi described the manifesto as a covenant between the party its candidate and the electorate.

He said successive APC administrations had recorded achievements in infrastructure transportation education healthcare housing technology and economic development but acknowledged the need for continuous innovation and improved service delivery.

Ojelabi expressed confidence in Hamzat’s experience in public service and understanding of the state’s governance structure saying these had prepared him for the responsibilities of the governorship.

He said the manifesto provided an opportunity for residents to examine the candidate’s priorities and the practical steps proposed to achieve them.

‘A credible manifesto must go beyond attractive promises. It must offer realistic solutions measurable objectives and a commitment to accountability and effective implementation’ he said.

Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State Princess Sarah Sosan who spoke on behalf of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) also endorsed Hamzat describing him as a cerebral and experienced candidate capable of sustaining the state’s development trajectory.

She traced Lagos’ development to successive administrations including those of President Bola Tinubu former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode and the incumbent Sanwo-Olu.

Sosan said the state’s progress was the product of careful planning and purposeful leadership adding that Lagos could not afford to abandon its development model.

‘We have chosen right. Our candidate is cerebral and very committed to delivering the job. He is the best man for the job and every member of the GAC attests to this’ she said.

She urged party members and residents to work together to sustain existing achievements and prepare for future challenges.

Also speaking the Director-General of the PBAT-KOH Campaign Council Musiliu Obanikoro called for inclusiveness in the state’s development process stressing that no resident should be excluded on account of ethnic affiliation.

He said the campaign was presenting not just a candidate but a vision anchored on development integrity inclusiveness and sustained progress.

Obanikoro said the 2027 governorship election should be about ideas and the capacity to deliver rather than personalities.

He acknowledged that challenges remained in infrastructure healthcare economic growth and job creation despite the progress recorded by successive administrations.

He urged APC leaders and members to remain united and intensify mobilisation ahead of the election.

Nike drops chains with ‘Jewelry Collection’

The world’s largest sportswear brand is taking its iconic Swoosh beyond sneakers and apparel, venturing into the jewellery market with a new collection of demi-fine accessories for Holiday 2026.

Dubbed the Swoosh Jewelry Collection, the line translates Nike’s instantly recognisable branding into wearable pieces made from S925 sterling silver, with white rhodium plated pieces and gold vermeil finishes. The debut range includes necklaces, bracelets and earrings, offering a more understated way for brand enthusiasts to display their allegiance to the iconic brand.

The designs in this collection seem to favour minimalism, with Swoosh incorporated in the jewellery in a small way, rather than appearing as an oversized logo pendant.

Its 29mm hoop earrings feature the signature mark along the lower curve, while the necklace integrates a smaller Swoosh into a delicate curb chain. The adjustable necklace measures between 42.5cm and 52.5cm, allowing it to be worn alone or layered with other pieces.

The collection also draws on Nike’s familiar brand language, extending beyond its signature emblem to incorporate other visual references associated with the sportswear giant.

For those seeking something more conspicuous, Nike has also introduced a separate Pavé jewellery range. The more extravagant designs include diamond-encrusted Swoosh earrings, a pendant necklace and a miniature Air Force 1 sneaker necklace.

The two ranges occupy different ends of the jewellery spectrum. While the initial Swoosh collection offers relatively accessible entry points, the Pavé pieces move into considerably more expensive territory.

This move reflects the growing potential of fashion and sportswear brands to turn their visual identities into products that extend beyond their original categories. For Nike, the Swoosh is already more than a logo: it is a cultural symbol associated with sport, streetwear and personal identity. Recasting it in precious-metal finishes allows consumers to carry that association into another aspect of everyday dressing.

Jewellery also offers a different kind of brand visibility. Unlike footwear and apparel, which are often dictated by outfit choices and occasions, smaller accessories can become everyday personal signatures. By placing its emblem on pieces designed for regular wear, Nike creates another way for consumers to engage with the brand, notably acting like free marketing at each neck.

This choice to turn their logo into demi-fine jewelry is particularly unique. As the price point of the jewellery is higher than costume jewellery but distinctively more accessible compared to fine jewellery, the release of the ‘Swoosh Jewelry Collection’ opens up a new line for Nike to endeavour.

The first pieces are now released through Nike’s US SNKRS platform, with prices ranging from US$165 to upwards of $575 for the Air Force 1 necklace. The more elaborate Pavé designs, are expected in subsequent releases.

’Short circuit risk’ remains, university says

King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) has warned flood victims to check their homes for hidden electrical and structural damage, as submerged appliances could cause fires even if they appear to work normally.

The warning follows inspections by KMUTT lecturers and students, working with Singha R-SA and the King Mongkut’s Universities of Technology network, in the Rom Klao housing community after heavy rainfall and flooding in late September.

The team found faulty electrical installations and other hazards that homeowners might not have known about before the floods.

Asst Prof Atip Doolgindachbaporn of KMUTT’s electrical engineering department said many homes had power sockets installed close to the floor, leaving them vulnerable to flooding and short circuits.

Unlabelled circuit breakers also complicated repairs, forcing technicians to spend hours identifying which circuits they controlled.

Some residents had also suffered electric shocks when operating switches that had not been submerged, possibly because of accumulated moisture and deteriorating electrical components.

The team also discovered wiring installed incorrectly, with live and neutral wires switched, posing a safety risk that had existed before the flooding.

Asst Prof Atip advised homeowners in flood-prone areas to label circuit breakers clearly, separate lighting and socket circuits and raise sockets above previous flood levels where possible. Homes whose sockets, switches or electrical control panels have been inundated should not have their power restored until a qualified electrician has inspected the system.

Appliances that have been submerged should also be treated with caution, even if they have dried out and can still be switched on.

Water can damage insulation and internal components, creating a risk of short circuits or fires later.

Nearly 3 in 10 Filipinos struggle daily to afford basic needs, survey finds

Nearly three in 10 Filipinos struggle every day to afford basic necessities such as food, household bills and transportation, according to the latest nationwide survey by WR Numero Research, underscoring the economic vulnerability that continues to affect many households.

The survey found that 28.8 percent of Filipinos experienced financial difficulty daily over the past three months. Another 29.8 percent said they struggled at least once or twice a week. Combined together, nearly 6 out of 10 Filipinos (or 58.6 percent) reported difficulty meeting basic household needs at least weekly.

The findings suggest that financial stress remains widespread despite signs of stabilization in some indicators.

More than eight in 10 respondents, or 83 percent, said they experienced difficulty paying for essentials at least once a month.

Only 17% said they rarely or never faced such problems, including just 4.5% who reported never struggling to cover basic expenses.

At the same time, public sentiment about the country’s direction deteriorated further.

Nearly three-fourths of Filipinos, or 73 percent, believed that the Philippines is headed in the wrong direction, compared with 68 percent in June.

In its report, WR Numero Research said the widespread pessimism ‘may form an unfavorable backdrop for incumbents.’

Only 18 percent believe the country is moving in the right direction, a sharp decline from 32 percent in the previous survey, while 10 percent remained undecided.

The results suggest that modest improvements in household finances have yet to translate into greater public optimism.

Compared with June, the share of Filipinos reporting financial difficulty every day declined from 32.2 percent to 28.8 percent, while the combined share of those experiencing hardship daily or weekly eased slightly to 58.6 percent from 61.1 percent.

The proportion who said they rarely or never struggled rose to 17 percent from 15.2 percent.

Still, the survey characterized household financial difficulties as broadly unchanged, noting that a majority of Filipinos continue to experience challenges paying for basic necessities.

The results came from the WR National Poll: Philippine Public Opinion Monitor, a quarterly nationwide survey conducted by WR Numero Research, the polling arm of WR Advisory Group.

The firm describes itself as a Manila-based research and consulting company specializing in policy and intelligence research, public opinion polling, social analytics and strategy advisory services.

According to company materials, it has provided campaign research and strategic support during the 2019 midterm elections, the 2022 presidential elections and the 2025 midterm elections.

The October survey was conducted from October 7 to 13 among 1,225 Filipino adults through face-to-face interviews and carries a national margin of error of ±2.8 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

Microsoft boosts Windows 11 Bluetooth to fix stubborn AirPods bugs

Microsoft has announced major updates to its Bluetooth system in Windows 11, to solve long-standing wireless headphone connectivity issues such as sluggish pairing, connection failures, frequent dropouts, and audio stuttering that have plagued Apple AirPods users in particular.

The fix will also speed up computer pairing times, by up to 15 seconds, according to Microsoft.

Connecting AirPods to Windows devices has long been a source of frustration due to setup difficulties and limited feature availability compared to the seamless integration offered on iOS and macOS platforms.

Despite these hurdles, many users continue to pair AirPods with Windows PCs due to brand familiarity, audio quality and overall comfort, or simply because they prefer using a single headset across all their devices rather than purchasing additional hardware.

Microsoft said it has overhauled several components within its Bluetooth stack, targeting the discovery and pairing process that previously caused long delays or timed out with connection failure errors. The company clarified that while AirPods benefit significantly, the fixes also extend to wireless headphones from other manufacturers.

The update introduces stability enhancements designed to prevent dropped connections and resolve status display bugs. Previously, Windows 11 Quick Settings would occasionally display a “Connected” status even after headphones had disconnected, causing manual disconnection attempts to inadvertently trigger a reconnection loop instead.

Audio performance during voice calls and online meetings has also been addressed. The patch rectifies stuttering and instability issues when using built-in microphones on certain models, while improving Bluetooth LE Audio integration for more reliable overall sound delivery.

A minor interface quirk has also been resolved: adjusting the volume via physical buttons on a headset during calls now triggers the standard volume slider overlay on screen, fixing a bug where volume levels changed without visual feedback.

In addition, Microsoft fixed an issue where the Bluetooth toggle switch in the Settings menu failed to reflect the actual state of the radio hardware, alongside general stability tweaks to the Bluetooth and devices control panel for smoother device management.

The overhaul represents an ongoing effort rather than a sudden release, following incremental patches deployed earlier in the year. The KB5095093 update released in June previously enabled AirPods to appear faster in pairing lists, whereas the October release rolls out the full suite of stability and performance upgrades to the wider public.

However, Microsoft noted that the advertised 15-second pairing speed boost will vary depending on specific AirPods models, PC Bluetooth hardware adapters and system configurations. Independent tests conducted by tech outlet Windows Latest showed pairing speed improvements of approximately 20 per cent for both AirPods and Samsung Galaxy Buds.

Govt eyes high-income economy status ‘by 2037’

Thailand aims to become a high-income economy by 2037, with a new five-year science and innovation strategy targeting annual GDP growth of 5%.

Deputy Prime Minister and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat announced the goal after chairing a meeting of the National Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Policy Council on Oct 26.

The council reviewed three draft plans for 2028-2032 covering higher education, workforce development, and science, research and innovation. They aim to align education and research with industrial needs, develop skilled workers and create new sources of growth to help Thailand escape the middle-income trap.

It also approved the “Thailand²: Nation of Master” initiative, which will develop three high-value sectors: semiconductors, medical and wellness products, and future foods and bio-based products.

The Siam Silica programme aims to bring Thailand into the semiconductor supply chain, focusing on chip design, photonics and advanced packaging. It targets eight Thai and international chip-design start-ups and multinational design centres by 2030.

Siam Medica will promote health and wellness industries, including herbal products, biotechnology, medical devices and precision medicine, while Siam Terra aims to upgrade agriculture through smart farming, high-value food production and biomanufacturing.

Govt readies B100 weekday travel deal

The government will offer 100-baht weekday travel vouchers to boost local tourism income, deputy government spokeswoman Lalida Persvivatana said on Sunday.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand and more than 170 operators are preparing the “100 Baht Travel Across Thailand” campaign for Thai tourists and foreign residents.

It pairs operator discounts with an online “Shock Deals” promotion selling 100-baht vouchers on Tuesdays from Dec 15 to Feb 9, 2027, for Monday-to-Thursday trips.

Ms Lalida said the 100-baht price applies only to Shock Deals and involves no cash handouts.

FBI links Binance crypto theft to North Korean hacker group

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) accused of being behind the theft of cryptocurrency from the Binance exchange, attributing the attack to the North Korean hacking group TraderTraitor.

According to the FBI, the attackers are transferring most of the stolen funds into Ethereum. The cryptocurrency could then be laundered through digital asset exchange services and decentralised finance platforms, the agency said.

However, US President Donald Trump has questioned the FBI’s assessment that North Korean hackers were responsible for the breach.

“We are looking into it right now. We don’t know if it was North Korea, but if it was, we’ll discuss that issue with North Korea,” Trump said.

Crypto prices fell on Friday, as Binance, which runs the world’s largest crypto exchange, sought to reassure customers their funds were safe.

Binance co-CEO Richard Teng said on Friday that the breach was a “complex attack” involving a compromised laptop and malicious software designed to ?delete evidence of its activity, making it hard to trace and investigate.

Fake election results AI-generated announcements capable of triggering crisis INEC chairman warns

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Joash Amupitan said on Monday that fabricated election results fake announcements of cancelled polls and AI-generated impersonations of electoral officials could trigger public disorder and undermine confidence in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Speaking at the opening of the National Summit on Electoral Information Integrity themed ‘Beyond the Ballot: AI FIMI and the Integrity of Nigeria’s 2027 Elections’ Prof. Amupitan said the commission’s primary concern is that while technology evolves at the speed of light the truth often travels at the speed of trust.

According to him ‘AI-enabled manipulation- from synthetic audio of election officials to ‘deepfake’ videos of candidates- can trigger real-world disenfranchisement and civil unrest. The challenge is not just the ‘fake news’ itself but the ‘Liar’s Dividend’ where the mere existence of AI makes voters doubtful of what is actually true’.

According to him the growing sophistication of artificial intelligence has created new vulnerabilities that could allow malicious actors to manipulate electoral information and sow confusion even before votes are counted.

He said mischief-makers determined to cause confusion and unrest may deliberately target the period when candidate responses are not available especially the last 24 hours before election day when campaigns are expected to end.

He called for an emergency response system involving the electoral commission security agencies media organisations fact-checkers and technology companies to identify and counter false information before it causes widespread damage.

The INEC Chairman warned that the credibility of the 2027 elections could be threatened not only by physical interference at polling units but also by digital operations that can mislead voters discredit candidates and create doubts about official electoral procedures.

According to him fabricated audio recordings manipulated videos and false digital announcements could be deployed at critical moments to exploit gaps in communication and verification.

One such concern he said is a scenario in which manipulated audio or documents falsely announce results or claim that elections have been cancelled in strategically important constituencies.

He warned that such falsehood could provoke unrest disrupt the coalition process and weaken public confidence in the commission.

According to him ‘Collation and Result Announcement’ are particularly sensitive stages of the electoral process and fabricated information targeting these operations could have consequences beyond the reputations of individual candidates.

‘The casualty is not merely candidate reputation-it is citizen trust in the democratic process itself’ Amupitan said.

He said the commission’s concern is that conventional communication and fact-checking procedures may be too slow to counter digital falsehoods that spread rapidly across social media platforms adding that issuing formal rebuttal hours after a fabricated video had circulated widely might not reverse the damage already done.

He said ‘When a manipulated video achieves viral saturation within thirty minutes of release a formal text rebuttal issued three hours later struggles to undo the cognitive damage’

He called for clear procedures specifying who should detect suspicious content verify its authenticity escalate the incident and issue an authoritative response.

He stressed that under the proposed arrangement fact-checkers and independent journalists would have direct access to designated INEC communication officials to verify election-related claims within minutes not hours.

He also stressed the need for social media companies to establish fast-track channels to review and appropriately handle demonstrably manipulated content that violates their rules on electoral interference while telecommunications providers and media organisations should maintain channels to promptly disseminate verified alerts to the public.

Amupitan maintained that the threat of information manipulation could emerge at different stages of the electoral cycle from voter registration and campaign activities to polling collation and the announcement of results.

He said ‘Before elections malicious actors could circulate fake operational directives fraudulent registration portals and misleading claims about updates to the voters’ register.

‘During campaigns fabricated audio recordings or videos purporting to show candidates making controversial statements could be released at moments when there was little time for verification or response.’

He cited the 2023 Slovak parliamentary election when an AI-generated audio recording purporting to implicate a political party leader in vote buying circulated shortly before voting.

The example he said illustrated the difficulty of countering manipulated information when it spreads during particularly sensitive electoral periods.

Amupitan maintained that educating citizens about deepfakes was important but insufficient without institutional arrangements that can respond rapidly to coordinated digital manipulation.

He said the commission should work with civil society organisations and other stakeholders to teach voters how to distinguish authentic electoral information from fabricated content including through short audio messages in local languages and Pidgin English.

He cautioned however that efforts to counter misinformation must not become a justification for suppressing political opposition independent journalism or legitimate public criticism.

He said measures to address foreign information manipulation and synthetic electoral fraud must be transparent proportionate and subject to legal accountability.

‘The goal is not to police opinion regulate political debate or restrict citizens’ freedom of expression’ he said.

He stressed that the objective was to protect the authenticity of election information while preserving Nigerians’ right to participate freely in political debate.

Amupitan said the summit should produce practical commitments rather than another declaration without measurable implementation.

He identified clear inter-agency escalation procedures institutionalised fact-checking channels and simulation exercises as priority outcomes needed to test Nigeria’s readiness for AI-driven electoral information crises.

He said the integrity of the 2027 elections would depend not only on the security of polling units and electoral materials but also on the reliability of the information voters receive before making their choices.