The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Ojo Amupitan, SAN; Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr Lekan Fadolapo; and Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Jibrin Baba Ndace, are among dignitaries expected to headline the 13th Annual Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).

According to a statement made available to The Guardian by the ACSPN National President, Prof. Rotimi Olatunji, the conference, scheduled for September 2 and 3, 2026, at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja, will focus on “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication.”

Amupitan is expected to deliver the keynote address, while Fadolapo will serve as Special Guest of Honour. Ndace is also listed among the key contributors to the conference.

Coming ahead of the 2027 general elections, the conference is expected to examine the growing influence of digital technologies on electoral communication, including the opportunities and risks posed by artificial intelligence, deepfakes, misinformation, disinformation and micro-targeted political messaging.

Olatunji said the rapid transformation of the digital environment had created new challenges for democratic communication, making it necessary for scholars, communication professionals, electoral authorities, policymakers and other stakeholders to develop evidence-based strategies for safeguarding electoral integrity.

He said the conference would provide a platform for stakeholders to examine how technology could be deployed to strengthen transparency, voter participation and public confidence in the electoral process while addressing its potential misuse.

According to him, the conference would also facilitate discussions on how African countries could respond to emerging digital threats without undermining the opportunities technology presents for civic engagement, voter education and democratic participation.

A special panel titled “From Ballots to Bandwidth: Rethinking Electoral Integrity in the Digital Age” will also feature at the conference.

The panel will include the Director of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Ronald Kayanja; President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Ike Neliaku; Executive Director of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi; and Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Film and Video Censors Board, Dr. Shaibu Hussein.

The Deputy National President of ACSPN, Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, is expected to present the lead paper, while the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Akutah Pius Ukeyima, Esq., MON, PhD, will chair the opening ceremony.

The conference is also expected to address the implications of AI-generated content for political communication, the spread of false information through social media, online voter manipulation, partisan influencer networks and the growing sophistication of digital propaganda.

Other issues to be examined include digital campaigning, electoral manipulation, media ethics and regulation, voter profiling, data privacy, gender and digital participation, as well as the implications of artificial intelligence for African elections.

The association said the conference would seek to strengthen collaboration among communication scholars, media practitioners, electoral managers, regulators, policymakers, technology experts and civil society organisations in developing practical responses to emerging challenges in the digital electoral environment.

Olatunji said ACSPN was committed to bridging the gap between communication scholarship and professional practice, particularly at a time when technological changes were reshaping the way citizens received political information and participated in democratic processes.

He said the association would continue to provide platforms for evidence-based dialogue capable of contributing to credible elections, responsible communication and democratic development in Nigeria and across Africa.

The conference will also feature the conferment of ACSPN Fellowship on distinguished communication scholars and media professionals, including Prof. Idowu Sobowale, Prof. Umaru Pate, Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie, Prof. Stella Chinyere Okunna, Prof. Rotimi Williams Olatunji, Mr Lanre Idowu and Mr Dapo Olorunyomi.

The honours recognise their contributions to communication scholarship, journalism, media practice, professional development and institution-building.

The fellowship component, according to the association, is intended to recognise individuals whose careers have helped strengthen the relationship between communication scholarship and professional practice in Nigeria.

Prof. Sobowale is recognised for his contributions to journalism, communication scholarship and the formative development of ACSPN, while Pate and Owens-Ibie are being honoured for their academic leadership and contributions to communication education and the association.

Okunna, described as a trailblazer in communication scholarship and Nigeria’s first female professor of mass communication, is also among the honourees, while Lanre Idowu and Olorunyomi are being recognised for their contributions to professional journalism, media development and the promotion of ethical communication practice.

The conference will bring together scholars, media professionals, policymakers, regulators, development practitioners and other stakeholders from Nigeria and beyond to deliberate on the changing relationship between media, technology and democratic governance.

Established in 2013, ACSPN is a non-profit organisation committed to promoting excellence in communication research, education and professional practice, while strengthening the contribution of communication to national development and democracy.