Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the rapid spread of deepfakes are emerging as a new threat to Nigeria’s 2027 general election, with experts warning that synthetic audio, videos and images could distort political narratives, inflame tensions and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
The warning comes as the country prepares for another highly contested election in an environment where millions of Nigerians rely heavily on social media platforms, particularly WhatsApp, Facebook and X, for political information.
From cloned voices to fake INEC notices, artificial intelligence could turn millions of mobile-phone screens into a new battleground for electoral trust.
Nigeria’s 2027 election is shaping up to have a new battlefield: artificial intelligence.
Deepfake videos, cloned voices, fabricated photographs and bogus Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) notices could flood social media and messaging platforms, confusing voters and deepening distrust in the electoral process.
INEC has identified AI-driven disinformation, social-media volatility and foreign information manipulation among emerging threats to the election.
The danger lies in speed. A fake video showing an INEC official announcing a change in voting arrangements could reach millions before the commission responds. A fabricated result sheet could trigger rigging allegations, while a cloned voice could falsely appear to belong to a candidate or electoral officer.
Candidates are also vulnerable. AI-generated recordings could falsely depict a politician withdrawing from the race, endorsing an opponent or making inflammatory statements.
Experts warn of the ‘liar’s dividend’, when genuine evidence is dismissed as fake because deepfakes have become commonplace.
The challenge for INEC, therefore, extends beyond counting votes. It must win the information war quickly enough to remain the most trusted source of election information.
News organisations and political parties face a similar responsibility. Publishing unverified AI-generated material could transform falsehoods into national headlines, while parties that weaponise deepfakes against rivals could eventually become targets themselves.
The greatest danger may emerge on election day, when fake messages claiming polling has been suspended, fabricated images of violence or false results could spread rapidly.
AI can also provide part of the defence through tools that detect manipulated content, identify coordinated campaigns and accelerate the distribution of verified information.
Nigeria’s 2027 election may be decided at polling units, but the battle for public trust could begin much earlier on millions of mobile-phone screens.
A recent report by SBM Intelligence found that 66.5 percent of Nigerians are concerned that AI-generated misinformation could undermine the credibility of the 2027 election.
Unlike traditional misinformation, deepfakes can make fabricated material appear remarkably authentic.
A cloned voice can be made to sound like a presidential candidate, while AI-generated video can depict a politician or electoral official saying or doing something that never happened.
Experts say the danger may be greatest in the final hours before voting, when false information can spread faster than election authorities and fact-checkers can respond.
Ethnic and political tensions
One major concern is the use of AI-generated material to inflame existing political, ethnic or religious divisions.
A fabricated audio recording in which a candidate appears to insult a particular ethnic group, for instance, could be circulated through WhatsApp groups shortly before voters head to polling units.
Even if the recording is later proven false, analysts warn that the damage may already have been done.
The technology could also be used to impersonate political parties, candidates, journalists and community leaders, making it increasingly difficult for voters to distinguish genuine statements from fabricated ones.
Fake results, fake officials
Another potential threat is the creation of fake election results.
AI-generated videos or images could be used to impersonate officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), falsely announce results or claim that a particular candidate has been declared winner.
Such material could create confusion at a time when Nigerians are already waiting anxiously for official results.
The danger extends beyond fabricated videos. Altered screenshots, fake result sheets and manipulated images could circulate online and give the impression that official electoral records have been changed.
The ‘liar’s dividend’
There is also a more subtle danger: the possibility that genuine evidence will be dismissed as artificial.
This phenomenon, often described as the ‘liar’s dividend,’ occurs when people exploit widespread awareness of deepfakes to deny authentic recordings or evidence.
As synthetic media becomes more common, a politician facing a genuine recording could simply claim that the material was AI-generated.
That could turn the 2027 election into a contest not only over political facts but also over what voters believe is real.
INEC’s response
INEC has acknowledged the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence and disinformation and has taken steps to strengthen its technological capacity.
The commission has approved an Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT structure, with the aim of using technology and data to detect emerging threats and possible electoral manipulation.
However, analysts say the effectiveness of such a unit will depend on how quickly INEC can acquire sophisticated detection tools and develop the expertise required to monitor rapidly evolving AI-generated content.
Nigeria’s existing digital electoral infrastructure could also become a target for misinformation.
Systems such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV portal are central to the country’s electronic electoral processes. While these systems are designed to support election administration and transparency, fabricated screenshots or misleading claims about their operations could spread rapidly online.
A race against time
The challenge facing election authorities is that fact-checking often takes longer than misinformation takes to spread.
A fake video posted minutes before voting could be viewed thousands or even millions of times before authorities issue a correction. By then, the correction may reach only a fraction of those exposed to the original claim.
This has prompted calls for closer cooperation between INEC, telecommunications companies, social media platforms, civil society groups and fact-checking organisations.
Analysts have also recommended monitoring unusual surges in coordinated messaging and bot activity, particularly during sensitive periods of the election.
Voters as the first line of defence
Beyond technology, experts say public awareness will be critical.
Voters will need to develop the habit of checking the source of sensational political material before sharing it, particularly when a message appears designed to provoke anger, fear or ethnic hostility.
Digital literacy campaigns could help citizens recognise common warning signs, including suspicious accounts, manipulated images, unverifiable claims and videos that appear without an identifiable original source.
The 2027 election, therefore, may present a new kind of electoral contest, one in which the battle for votes is accompanied by a parallel battle over digital reality.
Artificial intelligence itself is not inherently a threat to democracy. The same technology can assist election monitoring, information analysis and the detection of coordinated disinformation.
The challenge for INEC and other stakeholders will be ensuring that those legitimate uses of AI are not overwhelmed by its misuse.
With the election approaching, the question may no longer be whether deepfakes will appear in Nigeria’s political space, but whether electoral institutions and voters can identify and contain them before they influence events on the ground.