5 days ago
Nigeria Tech Leaders Seek Trusted, Protected Elections Ahead of 2027
Nigerian technology and government leaders met in Lagos to discuss safer elections.
They want people to trust how votes are recorded and counted before 2027.
Some speakers said blockchain could make it easier to detect changes to election results.
They also discussed artificial intelligence for monitoring and security.
However, they warned that technology can create problems if it is not carefully controlled.
Speakers said the difficulties in 2023 included heavy demands on the results-viewing system, damaged devices, and poor connectivity in some places.
They agreed that good equipment alone is not enough.
People must understand and trust the systems, and the systems must follow the law.
The Nigeria e-Government Summit in Lagos focused on using technology to rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process before the 2027 elections.
Information Technology Association of Nigeria President Emmanuel Olarewaju Ayoola promoted blockchain and artificial intelligence while warning that both require safeguards and trusted digital identities.
Ayoola said the 2023 problems with the INEC Result Viewing Portal involved transmission and logistics failures under unprecedented demand, alongside damaged devices and connectivity gaps.
Government and state officials said technology must be legally sound, operationally reliable, secure, and trusted by citizens to be effective.
The summit featured technology exhibitions and awards, with Edo and Cross River states among the leading honourees.
- Who
- Nigerian government officials, regulators, technology leaders, and civil-society representatives, including Information Technology Association of Nigeria President Emmanuel Olarewaju Ayoola, attended the summit.
- What
- They discussed mainstreaming technology in election management and improving public trust in how votes are cast, counted, and protected.
- Where
- The Radisson Blu in GRA, Lagos, Nigeria.
- When
- Thursday, September 10, 2026, ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
- Why
- The summit aimed to strengthen election technology, address lessons from 2023, and rebuild confidence in electoral outcomes.
Technology Can Strengthen Electoral Trust
Technology Requires Strong Safeguards
Blockchain and result verification
Technology Can Strengthen Electoral Trust
Blockchain advocates said a tamper-evident ledger could anchor result sheets and make unauthorized changes detectable.
Technology Requires Strong Safeguards
The technology’s benefits depend on trusted digital identity systems, reliable operations, and public confidence in the process.
Artificial intelligence in elections
Technology Can Strengthen Electoral Trust
State officials described AI-enabled cameras and embedded security features as tools for real-time monitoring and deterring ballot-box hijacking.
Technology Requires Strong Safeguards
Ayoola warned that AI can generate false information and present it as fact, creating a risk that must be addressed before it is used in electoral processes.
What caused the 2023 problems
Technology Can Strengthen Electoral Trust
Ayoola said the INEC Result Viewing Portal had already supported more than 100 elections and by-elections, suggesting the underlying system had demonstrated capacity.
Technology Requires Strong Safeguards
The 2023 experience exposed transmission and logistics failures under unprecedented load, as well as damaged devices and connectivity gaps.
Key facts
- Event
- Nigeria e-Government Summit and Awards
- Theme
- Mainstreaming Technologies in Nigeria Election Management
- Location
- Radisson Blu, GRA, Lagos
- Main technologies discussed
- Blockchain and artificial intelligence
- 2023 system challenge
- The INEC Result Viewing Portal faced more than 500,000 result sheets, alongside transmission and logistics problems.
- Existing electoral tools
- Nigeria’s technology progression was described as moving from Smart Card Readers in 2015 to BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing Portal.
- Award recognition
- Edo and Cross River states topped the summit’s awards.
Quotes
Emmanuel Olarewaju Ayoola
President of the Information Technology Association of Nigeria
“The question of technology in election management is not an academic one. It is a question that will determine whether Nigerians trust the outcomes of elections that shape their lives, their livelihood and their futures.”
wionews.com
“What failed in 2023 was the real-time transmission of results at a volume of over half a million result sheets — greater than anything the portal had previously handled.”
wionews.com
Justin Beshel
Cross River State Commissioner for Science and Technology
“Trust must be built in technology because if the people don't have trust in technology, they can see it as a way of trying to subvert.”
wionews.com
Sources
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