The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has declared that algorithms must never determine the outcome of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, insisting that the power to choose the country’s leaders rests exclusively with voters.
Amupitan made the declaration at the Artificial Intelligence and Democracy Forum 2026 in Abuja, where he highlighted the growing influence of artificial intelligence on electoral processes and the information available to voters.
“Algorithms will not, and must never, decide the 2027 vote,” he said.
The INEC chairman acknowledged that artificial intelligence would increasingly shape political information and the organisation of elections but stressed that technology must not replace human judgment in critical electoral decisions.
“The choice of who leads Nigeria belongs exclusively to the Nigerian people,” Amupitan added.
He said INEC would maintain human oversight over critical electoral processes, including result collation, voter accreditation and candidate qualification, rather than allow automated systems to make such decisions independently.
Amupitan also disclosed that the commission had completed 10 of the 14 major operational milestones under the Electoral Act 2026.
As part of its efforts to modernise electoral administration, INEC has introduced online voter registration and digitised candidate nominations, according to his address.
His remarks underscore the importance of maintaining human accountability and public confidence as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly influential in democratic processes.