LIBERIA PARTICIPATES IN REGIONAL WORKSHOP TO VALIDATE AI GUIDELINES FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IN WEST AFRICA

ABUJA, NIGERIA: 12, October 2026, Liberia has joined electoral stakeholders from across West Africa in Abuja, Nigeria, for a regional workshop on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in election administration, where guidelines meant to promote ethical, transparent and responsible use of AI in electoral processes are being validated.

Representing Liberia at this two-day workshop, which runs from 12 to 13 October 2026, are Commissioner Barsee Leo Kpangbai and S. Isaac Zahn, Deputy Executive Director for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), both of the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC Liberia).

According to a dispatch from Abuja, participants are working to validate Guidelines on Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Election Administration in West Africa, developed under the auspices of the Network of Electoral Commissions of ECOWAS Member States (ECONEC).

Electoral commissioners, technology experts and other stakeholders have gathered around one table, including Mr. Abdoulaye Sylla, ECONEC Chairman and head of Senegal’s electoral commission, and Commissioner Koroma of Sierra Leone’s electoral commission, alongside other regional representatives.

Discussions are expected to center on draft guidelines, their underlying principles, and practical considerations for bringing AI into election administration while safeguarding electoral integrity, transparency, accountability and public trust.

Participants are also hearing about Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its planned use of AI in conducting that country’s 2027 General Elections, offering a practical example of how a regional neighbor is preparing.

Back home in Liberia, AI tools are increasingly being explored and used, particularly by NEC’s Communications Section and its Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department, as staff look for smarter ways to serve voters and stakeholders.

NEC Liberia is also considering opportunities to expand responsible use of emerging technologies as it prepares for 2029 General Elections, with an eye on lessons that regional partners can share.

Liberia’s presence in Abuja reflects a belief that electoral bodies in West Africa grow stronger when they learn from one another, compare experiences, and agree on common standards before new tools reach polling day.

Such regional cooperation matters to ordinary citizens too, since trust in elections begins with confidence in how institutions handle technology and protect every vote.

Liberia’s participation underscores NEC’s commitment to regional cooperation, technological innovation, and continuous improvement of electoral processes through responsible and transparent technology adoption.

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