Amupitan: Nigerians will Decide Outcome of 2027 Elections, Not Algorithms

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said algorithms will not determine the outcome of the 2027 general election.

Amupitan made the remark at the AI and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja.

Addressing the question, “Will algorithms decide the 2027 vote?”, he said artificial intelligence (AI) would not replace the will of the electorate.

“Let me, as the chair of INEC, answer it unequivocally: no! Algorithms will not and must never decide the 2027 votes,” he said.

“Algorithms will not decide the votes because the choice of who leads Nigeria belongs exclusively to the Nigerian people.”

Amupitan, however, said AI-driven geospatial analysis and predictive modelling could improve electoral logistics and help the commission meet its operational demands.

He said since assuming office on October 23, 2025, he had overseen five major elections and more than 16 by-elections, during which INEC tested predictive logistics optimisation.

The INEC chairman said the commission recorded improvements in the early deployment of election materials and the commencement of voting.

“Reports from civil society and observers reported significant improvement in terms of early deployment of materials and early commencement of voting in all the elections we’ve conducted,” he said.

Speaking during a panel session, Amupitan said AI components were already embedded in some of the technologies the commission used, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

He said facial recognition and fingerprint technology used for voter accreditation involved AI components, adding that similar technologies were incorporated into the smart card readers that preceded BVAS.

The INEC chairman said the commission was refining its systems to address AI-related challenges and ensure the technology was used for lawful purposes.

He added that it could not disclose some details of its preparations publicly because of cybersecurity concerns.

At a press conference on October 6, Amupitan said INEC had established a dedicated AI division within its information and communication technology department to support result verification and strengthen cybersecurity ahead of the 2027 elections.

He also said the commission had integrated automated AI auditing tools into its result verification process under a five-pillar AI governance framework, with mandatory human oversight.

Amupitan said the commission was finalising its AI governance policy to guide the use of the technology in the electoral process.