The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division as part of its efforts to enhance electoral integrity and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria.
In a statement released on Thursday, May 22, 2025, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the decision was approved during the Commission’s weekly meeting.
According to Olumekun, the creation of the AI Division reflects INEC’s growing recognition of the critical role AI can play in modern electoral processes, both globally and domestically.
Harnessing AI for Electoral Reforms
The new division will operate under INEC’s ICT Department and will be tasked with maximizing the Commission’s existing technology infrastructure through centralized AI governance.
“The Commission recently participated in several continental conferences on the implications and potential of AI in electoral management,” Olumekun stated. “While there are valid concerns about AI’s misuse in spreading disinformation and manipulating digital content, we are focused on its positive applications—such as data-driven decision-making, risk detection and mitigation, voter service automation, and geo-spatial intelligence for logistics planning.”
He added that the AI Division will support INEC’s goal of improving material distribution and polling unit allocation, while also providing predictive analytics, automated processes, and intelligent safeguards to bolster transparency and voter trust.
Strengthening Electoral Systems
The new initiative marks a significant step in INEC’s broader reform agenda and places the Commission at the forefront of public sector AI adoption in Africa.
Olumekun emphasized that the AI Division will not only enhance INEC’s internal operations but also deepen voter engagement and ensure more credible elections through evidence-based planning and monitoring.
Part of a Broader Continental Shift
The launch of INEC’s AI Division aligns with the African Union’s growing focus on artificial intelligence. Nearly a year ago, the AU Executive Council adopted the Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy during its 45th Ordinary Session in Accra, Ghana. The strategy advocates AI integration in governance, infrastructure, and service delivery across member states, including Nigeria.
Earlier, during the AU’s 2nd Extraordinary Session on Communication and ICT, held in June 2024, over 130 African ministers and experts endorsed guidelines encouraging AI governance systems and regulatory frameworks.
NITDA’s Parallel Efforts on AI Governance
In a related development, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to ethical AI deployment. In 2025, NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi announced initiatives to develop diverse, high-quality local datasets that can train unbiased, inclusive AI models.
NITDA also plans to collaborate with stakeholders to establish standards for fairness audits, ethical data curation, and risk mitigation in AI deployment.
With the establishment of the AI Division, INEC joins other forward-looking institutions in institutionalizing responsible AI use to drive transparency, credibility, and efficiency in Nigeria’s electoral system.
