Smart Democracy: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Combat Election Misinformation in Nigeria

The increasing use of digital communication technologies has transformed democratic participation in Nigeria, but it has also accelerated the spread of election misinformation through social media and other online platforms. False political information, manipulated digital content, and coordinated disinformation campaigns have continued to undermine electoral credibility, public trust, and informed voter decision-making. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising tool for detecting misinformation, verifying online content, identifying coordinated inauthentic behavior, and supporting evidence-based electoral communication. Despite these opportunities, there is limited empirical evidence on how AI can be effectively integrated into Nigeria's electoral communication system to strengthen democratic governance. This study examines the role of AI in combating election misinformation and promoting smart democracy in Nigeria. Specifically, it investigates the prevalence and patterns of election misinformation, assesses stakeholders' awareness and adoption of AI technologies for misinformation detection, examines the opportunities and challenges associated with AI deployment, and proposes communication strategies for responsible AI use during elections. The study adopts a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews involving electoral officials, journalists, fact-checkers, communication experts, and registered voters. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data will be analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings are expected to provide practical recommendations for policymakers, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), media organizations, technology developers, and civil society organizations on leveraging AI to enhance electoral transparency, improve information integrity, strengthen public trust, and promote democratic participation in Nigeria. The study contributes to the growing literature on artificial intelligence, development communication, digital governance, and democratic innovation in Africa.