Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has acknowledged concerns over suspected artificial intelligence generated photographs found in its preliminary register of voters ahead of the 2027 general elections, prompting questions about the accuracy and integrity of the country’s voter records.
The development followed the discovery of questionable photographs in the preliminary register published on the commission’s website, with some images suspected of being generated using artificial intelligence.
INEC’s acknowledgement came amid public outcries, accusing the commission’s chairman of actions they that could set the country on fire, as concerns grow over the authenticity of voter records and fears that false information could be used to rig elections and manipulate the electoral process.
However, the commission’s reported response does not establish that it deliberately used artificial intelligence to generate Permanent Voter Cards. The issue concerns suspected AI generated photographs appearing in the preliminary register, and the circumstances surrounding the entries require further verification.
Reports linked some of the disputed records to Ward 11 in Uzairue South East, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. The photographs were reportedly associated with Iyoku Utukwe Afashio and Ikabigbo Primary School polling units.
The commission has said that flagged records are being reviewed and that corrective measures will be taken in line with established procedures. The total number of affected records and the source of the photographs have not been conclusively established.
INEC explained that the preliminary register uploaded to its website on October 26 was the same document displayed physically at Registration Areas nationwide from October 9 to 15.
The exercise allowed registered voters and members of the public to inspect the register, identify errors and raise objections to questionable entries before the final list is certified.
The commission also clarified that the online register remained preliminary and did not reflect the completion of all data cleaning and verification activities.
The controversy comes as INEC prepares to introduce more technology into Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission has discussed using artificial intelligence to help detect manipulated digital content, identify inconsistencies in election data and improve the management of results.
On October 22, INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, reportedly explained that AI tools could help compare electronically entered results with figures on scanned polling unit result sheets and flag discrepancies.
The commission has also established an Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT Department as part of its technology plans.
However, there is no confirmed evidence that the planned AI systems for election management were responsible for the suspected photographs found in the voter register.
The issue has raised concerns about the verification of voter identities, the reliability of registration records and the safeguards used to prevent manipulated images from entering official electoral databases.
INEC has urged public participation in the review process, stressing the importance of identifying errors before the register becomes final.
The commission is expected to complete the required verification and data cleaning before certifying the final Register of Voters, which it has scheduled for December 15, 2026.
The outcome of the review could clarify how the questionable photographs entered the register, how many records were affected and whether any technical or procedural failures occurred.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the controversy places renewed attention on INEC’s responsibility to ensure that voter records are accurate, properly verified and protected against manipulation.
For now, questions remain over the origin of the suspected AI generated photographs, while the commission’s review is expected to provide further clarity on the matter.
