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Original Article

AI-Mediated Electoral Manipulation and the Fragility of Democratic Consent in Nigeria’s Multi-Ethnic Digital Space

Open Access Peer Reviewed Crossref DOI

Authors

  • Okpaka Chukwuma FNCS1

1 Department of Computer and Information Technology, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria.

Article Information

Published Online
July-August 2026
Pages
385-395
Article Type
Original Article
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References

1. Ajakaiye H. Q&A: Manipulated media in the 2023 Nigerian presidential elections, generative AI, and possible interventions. Institute for Security and Technology; 2024. Available: securityandtechnology.org
2. Journalistsresource.org. How AI-generated deepfakes threaten the 2024 election. Harvard Shorenstein Center; 2024. Available: journalistsresource.org
3. Africa in Fact. The challenges of AI-driven political disinformation in Nigeria. Good Governance Africa; 2024. Available: africainfact.com
4. Dubawa. Analysis: Social media users deploy ethnic hate speech, disinformation ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections. Dubawa; 2025. Available: dubawa.org
5. Oyediji O. AI in Nigerian Elections: Tool for Safeguarding Democracy or Weapon for Deepfakes and Disinformation. Nepal J Multidiscip Res. 2025;8(3):89–108.
6. Techpoint Africa. AI could disrupt Nigeria’s 2027 election and the country is not ready. Techpoint Africa; 2026. Available: techpoint.africa
7. TheCable. The invisible AI threat to Nigeria’s 2027 elections. TheCable; 2026. Available: thecable.ng
8. Legit.ng. How malicious AI networks will threaten Nigeria’s 2027 elections. Legit.ng; 2026. Available: legit.ng
9. Federal Republic of Nigeria. Electoral Act, 2022. Lagos: Government Printer; 2022.
10. Federal Republic of Nigeria. Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015. Abuja: Government Printer; 2015.
11. BusinessDay. Artificial intelligence, electoral integrity, and the risk of manipulation of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections in perspective. BusinessDay; 2026. Available: businessday.ng
12. Rawls J. A Theory of Justice. Cambridge: Harvard University Press; 1971.
13. Habermas J. The Theory of Communicative Action. Vol. 1. Boston: Beacon Press; 1984.
14. Zuboff S. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. New York: PublicAffairs; 2019.
15. Horowitz DL. Ethnic Groups in Conflict. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1985.
16. Brass PR. Ethnicity and Nationalism: Theory and Comparison. New Delhi: Sage; 1991.
17. Dubawa. AI-generated disinformation looms ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections. Dubawa; 2025. Available: dubawa.org
18. TechCabal. Preparing for Nigerian elections in a world of AI deepfakes. TechCabal; 2025. Available: techcabal.com
19. Journalistsresource.org. Global deepfake elections roundup. Harvard Shorenstein Center; 2024.
20. The Nation. Malicious AI swarms and 2027 elections. The Nation Newspaper; 2026. Available: thenationonlineng.net
21. Vaccari C, Chadwick A. Deepfakes and disinformation: Exploring the impact of synthetic political video on deception, uncertainty, and trust in news. Soc Media Soc. 2020;6(1):2056305120903408.
22. Wardle C, Derakhshan H. Information Disorder: Toward an Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy Making. Strasbourg: Council of Europe; 2017.
23. Bradshaw S, Howard PN. The Global Disinformation Order: 2019 Global Inventory of Organised Social Media Manipulation. Oxford Internet Institute; 2019.
24. Okoro U, Mackenzie T, Radeljic B. Governance and Regulation of Artificial Intelligence in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Nigeria. arXiv. 2026; 2604.06018.
25. Pasipamire N, Muroyiwa A. Navigating algorithm bias in AI: ensuring fairness and trust in Africa. Front Res Metr Anal. 2024. doi:10.3389/frma.2024.1486600.
26. NITDA. Nigeria National AI Policy 2024. Abuja: National Information Technology Development Agency; 2024.
27. Creswell JW, Plano Clark VL. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 2018.
28. Braun V, Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol. 2006;3(2):77–101.
29. International IDEA. Addressing Nigeria’s Unresolved Electoral Reform Issues. Stockholm: IDEA; 2024. Available: idea.int
30. DataReportal. Digital 2024: Nigeria. DataReportal; 2024. Available: datareportal.com
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