Experts gathered for a three-day forum on artificial intelligence and democracy are sounding the alarm about what could go wrong in Nigeria's 2027 general elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission joined other participants in raising concerns about a specific set of threats: deepfakes, cloned voices, and coordinated disinformation campaigns powered by AI tools.
The conversations at the forum centered on one core demand, that stronger safeguards and meaningful human oversight must be built into how AI is used around the electoral process. The worry is not hypothetical. These technologies are already accessible, and the 2027 elections are closer than they feel.
What happens between now and then, in terms of policy, regulation, and public awareness, could determine whether Nigerian voters head to the polls with accurate information or wade through a flood of manufactured content. The forum has put the issue on the table. The harder work is just beginning.
Originally published by AllAfrica.