Microsoft and Google have pledged to strengthen safeguards against artificial intelligence-driven manipulation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, as the Federal Government launches a nationwide campaign to tackle vote buying, electoral violence and voter apathy.
At the AI and Democracy Forum in Abuja, Microsoft’s Senior Director of Global Elections, Dave Leichtman, offered to join a locally organised election situation room to monitor digital threats in real time.
Leichtman said Microsoft would use the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates to restrict AI-generated images involving listed candidates. He added that the company would provide channels for reporting misleading election content, monitor cyber threats and direct users to authoritative electoral information.
Google’s Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy for West Africa, Adewolu Adene, identified language diversity and limited training data as major challenges to detecting harmful content in Nigerian languages.
He said Google was working with civil society organisations, researchers and local partners to improve its systems but acknowledged that the challenge remained unresolved.
The forum, organised by Yiaga Africa and partners, including INEC, Microsoft, TikTok and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, examined digital threats to the electoral process, including deepfakes, manipulated photographs, sexualised AI-generated images, coordinated harassment and online incitement.
During a masterclass, TechHerNG Executive Director Chioma Agwuegbo urged security agencies to distinguish genuine threats and incitement from peaceful protests and legitimate political criticism.
She warned that weak content moderation in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Kanuri, Fulfulde and other Nigerian languages could allow inflammatory content to spread unchecked and trigger violence offline.
Agwuegbo called for more local-language specialists, faster security responses and stronger links between online monitoring and practical intervention. She also stressed the need to protect survivors’ identities and privacy, urging Nigerians to verify information before sharing it, particularly old videos circulated as current events and unconfirmed reports of electoral violence.
Legal practitioner Olumide Babalola called for greater transparency from INEC and technology companies, including disclosure of political advertising sponsors, explanations for content removals and account suspensions, and assessments of vulnerabilities in election-related systems.
He urged INEC to publish details of its technology vendors and their responsibilities, establish an authoritative channel for verifying electoral claims, and issue post-election reports on system failures and corrective measures.
Participants also raised concerns about data protection, algorithmic transparency and the challenges of reaching rural communities and internally displaced persons affected by insecurity and limited internet connectivity.
Separately, the Federal Government, through the National Orientation Agency (NOA), launched a nationwide voter-education campaign under the theme, “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Future: Say No to Apathy, Vote Buying and Violence. Let’s Build a United Nigeria in 2027.”
READ ALSO: INEC Unveils Special Voting Measures For PWDs Ahead Of 2027 Polls
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said eligible citizens had a responsibility to protect democracy, while NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu announced that the agency would mobilise its directorates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to engage citizens at the grassroots in local languages.
INEC Chairman Joash Ojo Amupitan reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to credible and inclusive elections, stressing the importance of early preparation, stakeholder cooperation and active public participation.
