As Nigeria gears up for its 2027 general elections, a crucial two-day national summit is set to convene in Abuja. Electoral stakeholders, media professionals, technology experts, and civil society organisations will gather to address the escalating threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI), disinformation, and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) to the nation's electoral processes.
The summit, aptly titled "Beyond the Ballot: Safeguarding Electoral Information Integrity in the Age of AI," is scheduled for 2 and 3 November 2026 at the Abuja Continental Hotel. It is a collaborative effort organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), in partnership with DAI and International IDEA. This significant event is being held under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme, with funding provided by the European Union.
This assembly comes at a time of increasing apprehension regarding the potential misuse of AI and advanced digital communication technologies to unduly influence elections. The proliferation of deepfake videos, AI-generated audio, manipulated images, organised disinformation campaigns, and misleading online narratives is presenting unprecedented challenges for electoral institutions, journalists, and the general public.
With the 2027 general elections on the horizon, the summit will delve into how these advanced technologies could be exploited to distort electoral information, sway public perceptions, sow confusion among voters, and ultimately erode confidence in election outcomes.
Speaking on behalf of the EU-SDGN Programme, Lanre Arogundade highlighted that the summit's objective is to foster practical solutions and responses to the emerging threats to electoral information integrity, well in advance of the 2027 polls.
"The challenge confronting us is no longer merely whether false information can influence elections. Artificial intelligence has made it possible to produce convincing images, videos, and audio recordings capable of misleading millions of people within minutes. As Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections, we must ask whether our electoral institutions, the media, technology platforms, and citizens are sufficiently prepared to recognise and respond to these threats," Arogundade remarked.
He added, "Beyond the Ballot is not simply another conference about information disorder. It presents an opportunity to assess our preparedness, scrutinise institutional responsibilities, and pinpoint practical measures to protect the integrity of electoral information. Our aim is to ensure that Nigerians can make electoral decisions based on credible information rather than manipulation, deception, or manufactured narratives."
The summit anticipates the participation of approximately 250 individuals, including representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), various media organisations, technology platforms, fact-checking bodies, civil society groups, government institutions, academia, and other key stakeholders involved in Nigeria's electoral framework.
A significant feature of the event will be an interactive simulation designed to mimic an AI-driven electoral disinformation crisis. This exercise aims to test the responsiveness of institutions and information actors when misleading content spreads rapidly during an election period.
Beyond the simulation, the summit will host extensive discussions on the responsibilities of digital platforms, the influence wielded by social media content creators, the implications of foreign information manipulation and interference, and the evolving role of journalism in an increasingly AI-dominated information landscape.
Participants will critically examine the difficulties associated with detecting manipulated content, verifying election-related assertions, disseminating accurate information during electoral emergencies, and bolstering public resilience against disinformation.
Furthermore, the gathering will serve as a platform to identify actionable strategies for enhancing institutional readiness, strengthening cooperation among diverse stakeholders, and ensuring that citizens have unfettered access to credible information throughout the entire electoral process.
This summit is expected to significantly contribute to the ongoing national dialogue concerning the protection of electoral information integrity, all while upholding freedom of expression, media independence, and citizens' fundamental right to information.
As Nigeria draws nearer to the 2027 general elections, the summit will confront a fundamental query: how can electoral institutions, the media, technology platforms, and citizens collectively safeguard the credibility of electoral information in an era where artificial intelligence is rendering the distinction between authentic content and fabricated material increasingly challenging?