Presidency Clarifies Tinubu-Kagame Photo Was Enhanced, Not AI-Generated, Following Social Media Controversy

The Nigerian Presidency has dismissed claims that a recently released photograph of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris was AI-generated. Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, explained that the photo’s poor quality, taken on a phone during the meeting, led to the misunderstanding.

Ajayi clarified that the image was later enhanced using the AI-based editing tool Grok to improve clarity, not to create or fabricate the photograph. Both leaders had met for lunch in Paris and later joined French President Emmanuel Macron for dinner.

The photograph, initially of low resolution, sparked social media speculation after the visible “Grok” watermark was detected. The Presidency emphasized that enhancing images for clarity does not constitute artificial generation.

Topics: #Politics, #Nigeria, #Tinubu, #Rwanda, #InternationalRelations, #AITechnology.

Presidency Sparks Controversy After Sharing AI-Watermarked Image of Tinubu–Kagame Paris Meeting

Nigeria’s presidency faced public backlash after sharing a photograph on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, purportedly showing a private meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris. Observers noticed that the image bore a “Grok” watermark, indicating it was created or altered using Elon Musk’s AI tool, Grok.

The official post claimed the meeting took place on January 4, 2026, to discuss “world affairs and advancing Africa,” confirmed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Despite this, the watermark’s presence has raised questions about the photo’s authenticity and whether an original, unedited version exists.

The incident has reignited concerns about digital manipulation, transparency, and the use of AI in official government communications, particularly as public trust in state institutions remains fragile. As of now, the presidency has not provided clarification regarding the AI-generated image.

Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has defended President Bola Tinubu over his recent comment on the value of the Naira, insisting that the President was not lying.

Tribune Online reports that President Tinubu had claimed that the Naira had stabilised under his administration, moving from about ₦1,900/$ when he assumed office to the current ₦1,450/$.

“The economy has stabilised, nobody is trading a piece of paper for an exchange rate anymore. When I took over, it was ₦1,900 to a dollar. It’s ₦1,450 now. It’s been stabilising there. You don’t have to know Cardoso before you get your foreign exchange,” Tinubu said.

Reacting in a post on his verified X handle, Omokri cautioned a user identified as “Emir” against hastily branding the President a “liar,” arguing that Tinubu’s remark was rooted in facts.

He explained that before Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023, Nigeria was spending about $1.5 billion monthly to subsidise the Naira even more than the petrol subsidy at the time.

Omokri noted that while the official exchange rate under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari stood at about ₦400/$, the “real unsubsidised value” of the currency was closer to ₦2,000/$.

He wrote: “Please fact-check me: Before President Tinubu was sworn in on May 29, 2023, Nigeria spent $1.5 billion monthly to subsidise the Naira. The naira subsidy was actually higher than the subsidy on petrol.

“Whereas under General Buhari, you were buying the Dollar at the rate of about ₦400 to $1, the real exchange rate without the subsidy was about ₦2000 to $1.

“You may recall that when President Tinubu first floated the Naira, it suddenly fell to ₦1900 to $1.

“The reason it fell to that price was because that was the actual value of our currency.

“President Bola Tinubu was referring to that unsubsidised amount, which was the real value of the Naira.

The former presidential aide added that critics should verify facts before accusing Tinubu of dishonesty, suggesting that tools such as artificial intelligence could confirm the accuracy of the President’s claim.

Omokri also stressed that while political differences may exist, it was unfair to label the President a liar without proper fact-checking.

“He was not lying, and you can verify this with an AI like Grok.

“I understand that some of us may have political disagreements with the President, but perhaps you and I can conduct cursory research before labelling him a ‘congenital liar’”, he concluded.

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