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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria has announced the creation of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division within its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department. The decision, made during the Commission’s regular weekly meeting on Thursday, 22 May 2025, reflects INEC’s commitment to leveraging AI to strengthen electoral credibility and efficiency while addressing its potential risks.

The establishment of the AI Division follows INEC’s participation in several continental conferences, where the growing impact of AI on elections was a focal point. Discussions highlighted both the challenges posed by AI, such as the spread of fake news and online content manipulation, and its benefits, including data-driven decision-making, risk detection, voter service automation, and geospatial intelligence for optimising logistics and polling unit allocation.

The new division aims to centralise AI governance, enabling INEC to maximise its existing technology investments. It will enhance decision-making through data-driven insights, improve risk management, and deepen voter engagement. Additionally, the division will bolster electoral integrity by employing predictive analytics, automation, and intelligent safeguards.

Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, described the initiative as a significant step in INEC’s ongoing electoral reforms. “This initiative places INEC at the forefront of institutionalising AI capabilities within our ICT infrastructure,” he said in a press release issued on 22 May 2025. The move is expected to streamline administrative processes and position Nigeria as a leader in harnessing AI for electoral management in Africa.