The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has warned that artificial intelligence, deepfakes and digital disinformation could undermine public trust in Nigeria’s 2027 elections.
Issa-Onilu gave the warning in Abuja in his goodwill message at the 13th Annual Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN), themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication.”
He said while digital technology and AI could improve civic engagement, they could also facilitate the production and spread of false and manipulated content capable of misleading voters and weakening confidence in the electoral process.
The NOA DG called for stronger collaboration among electoral institutions, the media, technology platforms, academia and civil society to strengthen information integrity ahead of the elections.
He also urged stakeholders to promote digital and media literacy, ensure transparency in AI-generated political communication and encourage citizens to verify information before sharing it.
Issa-Onilu cautioned against treating social media trends as a reflection of wider public opinion, stressing the need to distinguish legitimate criticism from misinformation and disinformation.
Speaking on behalf of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Ojo Amupitan, National Commissioner Professor Sani Muhammad said technology alone could not guarantee credible elections.
He said tools such as biometric accreditation and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) could enhance electoral integrity and transparency, but effective institutions, professionalism, accountability and public trust remained essential.
Muhammad urged INEC, the media, academia, civil society and technology experts to strengthen collaboration and ensure voters receive accurate and timely electoral information.
The ACSPN National President, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, said Nigeria must embrace technological innovation while protecting electoral integrity.
He called for an integrated electoral information integrity framework involving INEC, political parties, the media, technology platforms, civil society and communication scholars.
The conference, which brought together communication scholars and professionals, also featured ACSPN Fellowship and Special Awards, including posthumous recognition for Professors Lai Oso and Dayo Alao.
