The ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions, an umbrella body for election management bodies in West Africa, has adopted a regional guideline on using artificial intelligence in electoral processes.
The permanent secretary of ECONEC and head of the Electoral Assistance Division at the ECOWAS Commission, Serigne Ka, disclosed this during the mission’s delegation visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that the measure is to safeguard democratic integrity across the sub-region.
Mr Ka disclosed that the guidelines were finalised during a two-day validation meeting of IT experts and electoral officials in Abuja, following initial recommendations from the ECONEC Symposium held in Dakar in November 2025.
He said that the move was crucial as AI has become an irreversible reality in modern administration.
Mr Ka, who represented the ECONEC chair, Abdoulaye Sylla, recalled that a specialised working group was established after the 2025 Dakar symposium to draft the regulatory framework. He appealed to the international community for support to ensure effective implementation of the guidelines across member states.
Receiving the delegation, INEC chairman Joash Amupitan commended ECONEC for providing a vital platform for peer learning, institutional strengthening, and addressing shared electoral challenges across West Africa.
Mr Amupitan said integrating AI and cybersecurity mechanisms is essential to safeguard electoral infrastructure, build public trust, and improve voter services.
He said strengthening democracy in West Africa required strategically independent, professionally managed electoral institutions committed to the rule of law, supported by political parties, judicial agencies, security agencies, civil society, the media, and citizens.
Mr Amupitan reiterated INEC’s commitment to supporting sister electoral management bodies in West Africa through shared technical expertise, joint post-election reviews and institutional collaboration to uphold democratic standards in the sub-region.
(NAN)
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