LAGOS, NIGERIA — Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has issued a clarion call for Nigeria to overhaul its legal frameworks to meet the demands and dangers of the digital age.
Speaking as the Chairman of the Occasion at the 47th Founders’ Day Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) on Tuesday, Amupitan warned that while technology offers unprecedented transparency, it also presents existential threats to democratic stability.
Delivering his remarks at the University of Lagos, Amupitan noted that the digital revolution is a double-edged sword.
The lecture, titled “Civic Participation, Rule of Law and Accountable Governance in a Digital Era,” served as a backdrop for his concerns regarding the rapid pace of technological shift.
"Technological innovations must not outpace regulation or undermine democratic institutions.
"The digital space is faced with misinformation, digital manipulation, data breaches, and concerns around Artificial Intelligence.
“These developments test the resilience of our legal system,” Amupitan stated.
The INEC Chief emphasised that Nigeria requires responsive legislation that safeguards the integrity of governance while leveraging tools that amplify citizen voices.
He called for a collaborative war room comprising legal scholars, technologists, and policymakers to develop an inclusive framework for the future.
Amupitan lauded NIALS for its role as Nigeria's apex legal research body, describing it as the crucial link between theory and practice.
He urged the Institute to lead the charge in interrogating emerging digital governance questions.
Supporting this vision, Professor Abdulqadir Abikan, the Director-General of NIALSan, highlighted the Institute’s recent achievements despite economic headwinds.
Abikan revealed that in 2025 alone, NIALS trained nearly 1,000 participants across 31 capacity-building programs and successfully drafted 23 new court rules and practice directions under a MacArthur-funded project.
The Founders' Day event also marked a significant administrative victory. Prof. Abikan announced the recovery of the Institute’s property at Dolphin Estate following a gruelling 16-year legal battle.
However, the DG did not shy away from the institutional hurdles remaining, citing: High staff attrition rates, the impact of inflation on research funding, and the need for a permanent headquarters in Abuja.
Abikan concluded with an appeal to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), for increased support to complete the Institute’s permanent site, ensuring NIALS remains a forward-looking pillar of Nigerian law.
#NigeriaNews #DigitalGovernance #INEC #LegalReform #NIALS #RuleOfLaw #AI #TechPolicy #Governance
All rights reserved. The content on this website, including text and other digital materials, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in part, without the express written consent of The News Accelerator Network.
For advertising inquiries, news coverage, or press releases, please get in touch with us at
📧 thenewsacceleratornetwork@gmail.com
📞 08051017159
Kindly follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/thenewsaccelerator
You can also subscribe to our YouTube channels here: UCVELRC3WinKZ7tdmhmZaRmQhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/sub_confirmation=1
Post a Comment