The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed artificial intelligence (AI) tools and acquired 57,000 additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during a national stakeholders’ meeting and world press conference on the commission’s preparedness for the elections.
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, while the governorship and state House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6.
Amupitan said the commission had moved from planning to execution, with preparations focused on technology, logistics, personnel and election security.
The commission said it had acquired 57,000 new BVAS devices to expand its technological capacity ahead of the elections.
INEC has also completed a nationwide inventory audit of its existing BVAS devices, including activation and GPS-tracking verification.
The devices have undergone software hardening, battery optimisation and biometric calibration as part of measures to improve reliability and prevent accreditation irregularities.
INEC said it would conduct a six-day stress test of all configured BVAS devices from October 23 to 28, followed by technical support training in November and a strategic briefing in December.
The commission will also conduct local government readiness audits on January 13 and 14, shortly before the presidential and National Assembly elections.
As part of its technology upgrade, INEC is establishing a dedicated AI division within its ICT department to expand the use of artificial intelligence in election management.
According to the commission, AI-driven anomaly detection tools will be used to monitor database traffic and strengthen the security of its public-facing portals against cyber threats and unauthorised alterations.
Automated AI auditing tools will also support result verification, although the commission said the technology would operate under human oversight.
INEC is currently finalising its AI governance policy to provide a framework for the deployment of the technology in electoral processes.
The commission is also upgrading its electronic result management infrastructure, with the enhanced eEC8A system designed to digitise, cryptographically authenticate and transmit polling-unit result sheets directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, IReV.
Beyond technology, the electoral commission said it was strengthening its monitoring of vote-buying and illegal campaign financing ahead of the 2027 polls.
Amupitan said INEC was working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to monitor campaign expenditure.
A joint financial monitoring mechanism will track suspicious and illegal campaign spending, while surveillance around polling units will also be strengthened.
“Elections must be decided by the conviction of the voter, not the depth of a candidate’s pocket,” Amupitan said.
The commission also warned against the growing use of disinformation, deepfakes and fabricated election results, urging media organisations and journalists to verify electoral information through official channels before publication.
