The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened an investigation into photographs suspected to be AI-generated in its preliminary register of voters. The controversy has put the credibility of Nigeria’s voter data under public scrutiny with the 2027 general elections approaching.
How the controversy started
INEC published the preliminary register on its website on October 26, 2026. Within hours, social media users were sharing screenshots of entries they believed carried computer-generated faces. Many of the images were traced to a polling unit in Ward 11 of Etsako West Local Government Area in Edo State. Critics also pointed to what looked like duplicate records.
The National Democratic Congress publicly asked INEC to explain who put the images in the register. The party also alleged the commission plans to use artificial intelligence to rig the elections. That claim is the party’s position only. Nothing found so far establishes it.
What INEC has said
In a statement on Tuesday, INEC’s information and voter education chairman, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission had noted the public concern and was examining how the photographs got into the register. That includes possible technical or procedural lapses. INEC promised to act on whatever it verifies.
The commission insists the online document is the original preliminary register and not the final list. It says the register was displayed physically at Registration Areas nationwide from October 9 to 15 as part of the Display, Claims and Objections exercise. According to INEC, questionable records were flagged during that exercise and corrections began then. It says the online copy does not reflect the cleanup still going on. The final register is due for certification on December 15, 2026.
Why this matters for 2027
The voter register is the foundation of every election. If fake or duplicate entries survive into the final roll, they open the door to multiple voting, inflated figures and disputes after the polls. Even the suspicion of manipulated data can damage public trust, and the controversy has raised fresh questions about whether INEC’s checks can catch doctored photographs before they become official records.
INEC has said its planned use of AI is meant to strengthen verification and cybersecurity, with human oversight. Critics note that using AI to detect threats is a different task from authenticating photos submitted at registration.
What Nigerians can do now
The window for correction is still open. Citizens can check their own details and report suspicious entries to INEC. Political parties and observers can demand a clear public account of the investigation, including how many records were flagged and what was removed.
INEC has until December 15 to show that the final register is clean. Publishing its findings, explaining how the images got in and describing the safeguards it will add would do far more to calm public fears than a general assurance. With the elections drawing closer, Nigerians will be watching closely.
