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By Tracy Moses
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) have adopted guidelines for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in electoral processes, in a move aimed at promoting responsible deployment of emerging technologies and safeguarding election integrity across West Africa.
The development comes as electoral authorities seek to harness AI for administrative efficiency, voter registration and public engagement while addressing concerns over cybersecurity and the potential misuse of the technology.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, stated this on Tuesday at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja while receiving a delegation of ECONEC officials led by Mr. Serigne Ka, Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division and Permanent Secretary of ECONEC.
The visit followed a two-day validation meeting in Abuja on ECONEC’s guidelines for the use of AI in electoral processes. The initiative originated from a working group established after the network’s symposium on AI and election integrity, held in Dakar, Senegal, in November 2025.
Welcoming the delegation, Amupitan described ECONEC as an important platform for cooperation, peer learning and the strengthening of democratic institutions across West Africa.
He said the Commission considered the engagement important enough to interrupt its regular proceedings to receive the delegation.
“I was telling them at the commission meeting this afternoon that we have to stop our meetings and come and receive you,” he said, adding that the Commission needed “a close interaction with our colleagues.”
On concerns surrounding AI, the INEC chairman acknowledged the risks associated with the technology but argued that electoral institutions could not afford to ignore its growing influence.
“A lot of people are very skeptical about the use of AI because of the dangers inherent in it,” he said.
He maintained that the increasing integration of AI into everyday technologies made it necessary for electoral bodies to understand its applications and establish safeguards against potential misuse.
“Even if you don’t want to use it, every system you have, even your phone already has AI in it,” Amupitan said.
He stressed that adopting AI must be accompanied by effective cybersecurity measures to prevent digital systems from being exploited.
“When we say we want to use AI, it means that you want to have features or cyber skills that will prevent your own phone system from being used against you,” he said.
The chairman also underscored the need to strengthen digital security awareness, particularly among young people.
Beyond cybersecurity, Amupitan identified voter registration and public communication as areas where AI could improve electoral administration and citizens’ access to information.
“You need to use AI most of the time in voter registration,” he said.
He noted that AI-powered tools could also help electoral commissions respond more efficiently to citizens’ enquiries and provide information about electoral procedures.
“We also need to have people there to be able to give responses. People like to ask questions,” he said.
“Through AI, you are able to provide information. Frequently asked questions. Information is pulled out,” he added.
According to him, the ability to provide timely and reliable information is important to building public confidence in the electoral process.
The growing use of AI in elections has drawn attention to both its potential benefits and the risks it presents. While the technology can support information management, voter education and administrative processes, its misuse can complicate efforts to protect electoral integrity. Concerns over disinformation, manipulated audio and video content, cybersecurity breaches and personal data protection have therefore become increasingly relevant to discussions about its application in elections.
Amupitan said regional cooperation would be essential to addressing shared challenges and strengthening electoral administration across West Africa.
He identified electronic transmission of election results, records management, logistics, risk assessment, personnel training and election planning as areas where member commissions could exchange expertise and improve their operational capacity.
He also called for preventive regulations for political parties to enhance compliance with electoral requirements and reduce disputes.
Other priorities, he said, included responsible media engagement, stronger electoral security and inclusive participation, particularly for vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities.
The INEC chairman further advocated institutionalising post-election reviews and follow-up missions to ensure that recommendations from electoral assessments were implemented.
“But equally important is institutionalizing post-election reviews,” he said, adding that follow-up missions were necessary “to ensure that recommendations are prioritized,” implementation monitored and technical support provided.
Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to working with ECONEC and other regional partners to strengthen electoral administration and democratic governance.
“INEC remains committed to working with ECONEC and other regional partners to strengthen electoral administration and democracy,” he said, expressing hope for “practical outcomes that advance our shared democratic aspirations.”
ECONEC Seeks Implementation Across West Africa
Earlier, Ka said the delegation’s visit followed the ECONEC symposium held in Dakar in November 2025, where electoral authorities examined the implications of AI for election integrity.
He explained that participants at the symposium agreed to establish a working group to develop guidelines for the use of AI in electoral processes.
“So that working group was set up and held working sessions and then developed the draft guidelines on the use of AI in electoral processes,” he said.
Ka said the Abuja meeting was convened specifically to validate the draft document, with the two-day exercise beginning on Monday and ending on Tuesday.
He noted that information technology specialists featured prominently in the exercise because of the technical issues involved.
“When we talk of AI, we talk of IT also,” he said.
The ECONEC official acknowledged Nigeria’s ongoing work in the area and said the country’s experience could contribute to regional knowledge-sharing.
“We know that in Nigeria, we already have a unit working on AI,” he said, adding that “the practical experiences, sharing of experiences is very important.”
Ka confirmed that the guidelines had been adopted and said attention would now shift to how electoral commissions across the sub-region would apply them.
“Now that the guidelines have been adopted, we are going to see now how in the sub-region we are going to use AI in our electoral processes,” he said.
Emphasising the need for electoral authorities to prepare for the technology’s continued expansion, he added: “AI is here to stay anyway. There’s no way we can do away with AI anymore.”
“How we are going to manage it, that’s what we are thinking about,” he said.
Ka also conveyed the apologies of ECONEC Chairman, Mr. Abdoulaye Sylla, who is also chairman of Senegal’s electoral commission. He said Sylla had been expected to attend the engagement but was unable to do so because he “felt a little bit uneasy.”
He thanked Amupitan and other INEC officials for receiving the delegation and called for support from the wider international community.
“We are here to try to represent him and to convey our sincere appreciation Prof. Amupitan and all members of the Commission for receiving us,” he said.
Ka said international support would be important as electoral commissions moved towards implementing the guidelines.
The adoption of the guidelines marks a step towards a coordinated regional approach to AI in electoral administration. Their effectiveness will depend on how member commissions translate the framework into practice, strengthen their technical capacity and establish safeguards that protect electoral integrity while allowing responsible innovation.