INEC Seeks UN, UK Help to Fight Foreign Disinformation Ahead of 2027 General Poll

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warned that foreign-driven disinformation posed one of the biggest threats to the 2027 general election. The commission asked the United Nations and the United Kingdom to support its efforts to counter such disinformation. INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja during separate courtesy visits by UN Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Mr. Leonardo Simao, and British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Pete Vowles. Amupitan, in a statement by INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, said INEC wanted a partnership with the UN on a rapid response mechanism and public awareness campaigns to combat Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). He said foreign actors often operated through local proxies rather than directly, describing it as “a very big challenge” for Nigeria and the West African region. The chairman stated that INEC’s recent research showed that the trend was growing across the sub-region. The commission, he said, was already holding local and zonal engagements, including with traditional rulers, to educate staff and the public on misinformation, verification, and the misuse of artificial intelligence. Amupitan stressed that he made a similar appeal to the British High Commissioner, seeking a joint action against “AI-driven manipulation, Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), fake news, and hate speech, thereby protecting public trust in the democratic process.” He said the commission agreed with the UN that elections should be “a source of peace and stability”, and was working to deliver a credible poll with efficient logistics, transparent result management, and timely declaration of results. He also sought UN support for early-warning and monitoring systems, high-level dialogue among political actors to prevent violence, and programmes to promote the inclusion of women, the youth, and vulnerable groups. He said INEC was using its Election Risk Management tool with security agencies to map vulnerable areas. Amupitan said, “The integrity of Nigeria’s democracy matters not only to our citizens but to the peace, stability, and economic growth of the entire West African sub-region and the African continent. “INEC remains resolutely independent, impartial, and committed to delivering a 2027 General Election that meets the highest global standards of transparency and fairness.” In response, Simao said elections should not be another source of violence or another burden for the country. He said the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) had consulted political parties, candidates, and government institutions on preparedness. Simao stressed that the UN would be present during the elections, “not as observers, because we don’t have mandates to be observers,” but to “inspire and encourage also positive behaviours.” He described the UK as one of INEC’s most steadfast international partners, and thanked the country for support in capacity building, gender mainstreaming, voter education, and policy design. Vowles, for his part, described the 2027 elections as an important opportunity for Nigeria to showcase to the world how a strong democracy in a large, diverse country should operate.