The Independent National Electoral Commission has upgraded the software powering its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and introduced artificial intelligence tools to strengthen the verification and security of election results ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, disclosed this during the presentation of the commission’s 2027 General Election Readiness Report, outlining measures being taken to improve the reliability of its election technology and reduce the possibility of human interference.
Amupitan said the commission had focused on “software hardening,” battery performance and biometric calibration as part of efforts to make BVAS more secure and reliable.
He said INEC had also acquired 57,000 new BVAS devices and completed a comprehensive inventory and functionality check of its existing equipment, including verification of their GPS tracking capabilities.
As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, the commission will conduct a six-day stress test of all configured BVAS devices between October 23 and 28, 2026, to identify and resolve possible technical problems before election day.
Beyond the BVAS upgrades, INEC is also establishing artificial intelligence capabilities within its ICT structure to strengthen the verification of election results and protect its digital systems.
Amupitan said the commission had created a dedicated AI Division within its ICT department to develop and deploy tools capable of automatically auditing election results and identifying anomalies in its databases.
The AI systems are expected to help INEC detect unusual patterns, verify election data and flag possible irregularities for further investigation by human officials.
However, Amupitan stressed that AI would not determine election outcomes. Instead, the technology would serve as a support tool, with human officials retaining oversight and decision-making authority.
The commission’s AI strategy will operate under a five-pillar governance framework designed to ensure transparency, accountability and human oversight in the use of artificial intelligence during the electoral process.
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The move comes as INEC seeks to address some of the technological challenges recorded during the 2023 elections, particularly delays and technical difficulties associated with the transmission of polling-unit results to the commission’s IReV portal.
BVAS is used to authenticate voters through biometric data and also plays a key role in the electronic transmission of polling-unit results.
The 2023 elections exposed weaknesses in the system, including connectivity problems and delays in uploading results, prompting concerns about the reliability of election technology.
For 2027, INEC says it is working to identify such weaknesses ahead of time through hardware and software upgrades, stress testing and automated monitoring systems.
The commission is also scheduled to conduct state-level support training in November 2026, followed by a strategic briefing in December and a local government readiness audit in January 2027.
With the measures, INEC aims to strengthen the technology supporting the 2027 elections while improving the accuracy, security and transparency of the result-verification process.
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Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
