INEC flags 268 voter records: what the AI photo review means for 2027
File photo: INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan.
INEC is reviewing 268 voter records flagged for suspected AI-generated photographs and other irregularities as it prepares the preliminary register for the 2027 elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has begun cleaning up 268 voter records flagged by its biometric system, the commission’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, said on Sunday. The entries include photographs suspected to be AI-generated and other irregularities; INEC is reviewing them individually ahead of the 2027 general election.
Bayode disclosed the figure during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics. He said the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) identified the records for examination, and INEC has started correcting entries after its review. His account gives a specific scale to the questions raised when the commission published the preliminary Register of Voters online on October 26.
The publication followed the physical display of the register at registration areas nationwide from October 9 to 15. INEC’s official register update describes the online document as a preliminary register, with verification and data-cleanup work continuing before certification. The commission has set December 15, 2026, for certification of the final register, according to its published update.
Why did INEC flag 268 voter records?
The ABIS system flagged the entries for suspected AI-generated photographs and other irregularities, Bayode told Channels Television. He said the system also identified questionable use of a special registration option intended for people with disabilities who have incomplete or absent fingers.
That explanation places the review inside INEC’s own voter-registration checks. The 268 figure covers records selected for examination, while the commission checks each record and the circumstances behind its photograph or registration details. INEC’s ICT director said the review had already moved into a cleanup phase.
The reports by Punch Newspapers and The Sun Nigeria also identify the number as records under review. Their accounts, alongside Bayode’s interview, distinguish a flagged entry from a completed finding about an individual voter.
How will INEC treat AI-generated voter photos?
INEC is separating photographs generated entirely by AI from genuine photographs enhanced with phone-based AI tools. Bayode said the commission plans to remove photographs confirmed as AI-generated, while voters whose genuine photographs received digital enhancement can remain on the register.
The distinction matters to registered voters because an automated flag starts a check; INEC must assess each person’s eligibility through its review. INEC’s clarification on photos and Bayode’s explanation describe a review that weighs the record and the image before a correction.
READ ALSO: Are You Eligible to Vote in 2027? Check INEC’s Voter Register
When will INEC certify the final voter register?
INEC’s published schedule sets December 15, 2026, for certification of the final Register of Voters. That gives the commission several weeks to verify flagged entries, adjudicate claims and objections, and complete data cleanup after the October public display.
The sequence began with the physical display from October 9 to 15, followed by online publication on October 26. The review of the 268 records now sits within that wider process. INEC’s official notice says the preliminary online register corresponds to the version displayed at registration areas, while the commission carries out additional cleanup before certification.
For voters, the practical step is to check the details associated with their registration and follow INEC’s voter services for updates. The review concerns specific flagged records; the overall register contains millions of entries, so the stated 268 should be read as a review count rather than a finding against every person listed.
INEC voter register: frequently asked questions
How many voter records has INEC flagged?
INEC’s ICT director said its biometric system flagged 268 records for review. The records cover suspected AI-generated photos and other irregularities.
Are all 268 records confirmed as fraudulent?
The figure counts entries selected for examination. INEC is reviewing each record before making corrections or removing a photo confirmed as AI-generated.
Will INEC remove photos enhanced with AI?
Bayode said genuine photos enhanced with phone-based AI can remain on the register. INEC’s review focuses on images confirmed as generated entirely by AI.
When will the final voter register be certified?
INEC has scheduled certification for December 15, 2026, after verification, adjudication and data cleanup.