Democratisation and Emerging Technologies in Africa: Can AI Deliver Free and Fair Elections?

The rise of digital technologies presents significant challenges for establishing and maintaining democratic systems. In Africa, democratisation efforts have been hindered by repeated coups against elected governments and contested elections. This article argues that emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), pose a new threat to key democratic processes, including elections. While numerous reports have documented unfair and unfree elections in African countries, few studies have examined the additional risks posed by AI as an emerging technology in elections. This qualitative study gathered data from peer-reviewed studies and documents, using content analysis to analyse the findings. Focusing on selected countries, the study demonstrated how AI can disrupt the election process before, during, and after voting. The research illustrated how AI, with its potential to manipulate voter data, public opinion, electronic voting, and vote tallies, raises serious concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. In countries where the ruling leaders seek to maintain power, AI can undermine the people’s will. The study strongly recommends regulating the use of AI in elections, with comprehensive data protection laws to safeguard voter privacy. AI-driven microtargeting and voter profiling should be limited to avoid manipulative tactics. Additionally, robust cybersecurity measures should be put in place to prevent election interference. Adopting transparent, auditable AI systems should be encouraged, and digital literacy campaigns should be promoted to combat misinformation. Finally, AI tools should be complemented by traditional voting systems to ensure transparency and integrity, emphasising the responsible use of technology to protect democratic governance.