INEC investigates suspicious voter register entries in Nigeria
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is investigating suspicious entries in Nigeria’s preliminary voter register after social media users raised concerns that some photographs may have been generated using artificial intelligence.
In a statement issued Tuesday, INEC confirmed it identified questionable registration records during the physical display of the voter register prior to its online publication. The commission said it is examining the circumstances surrounding the flagged photographs, including possible technical or procedural lapses, but stopped short of confirming that the images were AI-generated.
The online register published on Monday represents the original preliminary version and does not reflect any ongoing data cleanup process. INEC emphasized that the preliminary register is not the final certified register, which is scheduled for certification on December 15, roughly seven weeks from now.
The controversy emerged after INEC made the register publicly accessible on its website following calls for broader transparency.
Political economist Pat Utomi voiced concern on X, stating that the presence of such images raises serious questions about verification, transparency, and accountability. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), a major political party preparing for the 2027 elections, also demanded an explanation from INEC regarding how alleged AI-generated images ended up in the polling unit register for Ward 11 in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
A separate allegation came from an X user identified as Eleniyan, who claimed that a registration device displayed a duplicate record bearing the same name, date of birth, and National Identification Number (NIN) as their own. The user alleged that the duplicate entry appeared on the published register while their own name was omitted.
INEC has not disclosed how many records were flagged, how many photographs are under scrutiny, or who captured the images in question. The commission also did not confirm whether the records flagged during the display phase are the same ones now drawing public attention. Additionally, the statement did not address the alleged duplicate NIN issue.
The commission stated that it will address verified irregularities and that further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
