ECOWAS Electoral Bodies Adopt AI Guidelines For Elections  

The ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) has approved a regional framework to guide the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in electoral processes across West Africa.

The permanent secretary of ECONEC and head of the Electoral Assistance Division at the ECOWAS Commission, Serigne Ka, announced this on Tuesday during a visit by the network’s delegation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

He said the guidelines were designed to protect democratic integrity across the sub-region amid the growing use of AI in public administration and electoral activities.

According to Ka, the framework was concluded at a two-day validation meeting involving information technology experts and electoral officials in Abuja. The exercise followed recommendations made at the ECONEC Symposium held in Dakar, Senegal, in November 2025.

He described the development as necessary, noting that AI had become an irreversible reality in modern administration.

Ka, who represented the ECONEC chair, Abdoulaye Sylla, said a specialised working group was set up after the Dakar symposium in 2025 to develop the proposed regulatory framework.

He also called on the international community to support efforts to implement the guidelines effectively across ECOWAS member states.

In his response, INEC chairman Joash Amupitan praised ECONEC for creating a platform for electoral bodies in the region to exchange knowledge, strengthen institutions and tackle common challenges.

Amupitan stressed the importance of incorporating AI and cybersecurity measures into electoral administration to protect electoral infrastructure, enhance public confidence and improve services provided to voters.

He added that sustaining democracy in West Africa depended on strategically independent and professionally managed electoral institutions that uphold the rule of law, with support from political parties, the judiciary, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media and citizens.

The INEC chairman reaffirmed the commission’s readiness to assist other electoral management bodies in the sub-region through the exchange of technical expertise, joint post-election assessments and institutional cooperation aimed at maintaining democratic standards across West Africa.