European Union and Nigerian election officials have warned that artificial intelligence-generated disinformation could threaten the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, at the opening of a two-day summit on electoral information integrity in Abuja on Monday 2 November.

The summit, titled Beyond the Ballot, brings together about 250 participants, including representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission, media organisations, technology companies, fact-checking groups, civil society and academia. It is organised by the International Press Centre and the Centre for Media and Society, in collaboration with Development Alternatives Incorporated and International IDEA, under the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme.

What officials warned about

EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said AI-generated disinformation and digital manipulation could influence voters and weaken public confidence in election outcomes. INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan said artificial intelligence was not in itself an enemy of democracy, but warned that deepfakes, cloned voices, fabricated images and coordinated online campaigns could mislead voters. He said AI could also help election management, including analysing large databases, improving logistics and identifying irregularities.

How the summit will test responses

A major feature of the two-day meeting, which runs on 2 and 3 November at the Abuja Continental Hotel, is an interactive simulation of an AI-driven disinformation crisis during an election, designed to test how institutions and information stakeholders would respond when misleading content spreads. Former INEC chairman Professor Attahiru Jega called on stakeholders to develop practical recommendations, including INEC-backed chatbots capable of giving verified electoral information and helping citizens authenticate claims circulating on social media. Nigeria’s presidential election is scheduled for 16 January 2027.

Sources: StreetNews Reporters, 2 November 2026; Sahelian Times, 2 November 2026.