President Bola Tinubu and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, during their private lunch meeting in Paris, France, yesterday.
The Presidency has dismissed claims circulating in sections of the media and across social media platforms that a photograph showing Bola Tinubu and Paul Kagame in Paris was artificially generated using artificial intelligence (AI), describing the narrative as false, misleading, and a clear misrepresentation of facts.
The clarification followed controversy that trailed the circulation of a photograph from President Tinubu‘s meeting with President Kagame in Paris on January 4, 2026.
The image sparked intense online debate after a visible Grok watermark appeared on an enhanced version, prompting some social media users to allege that the photograph was fake or AI-generated.
Despite explanations offered by the Presidency, reactions on social media have persisted, with some users expressing skepticism over the use of AI-related tools in official communications.
The image was shared on President Tinubu’s verified X account and reposted by a presidential aide, triggering calls from Nigerians for clearer disclosure and greater caution in the handling of official photographs.
However, in a statement issued on Monday, the Presidency clarified that the photograph is authentic and was taken during a real engagement between the two leaders in the French capital.
According to the statement, President Tinubu and President Kagame met privately in Paris and shared lunch as part of ongoing high-level diplomatic engagements.
The two leaders later joined Emmanuel Macron for dinner the same evening, underscoring sustained continental and international consultations.
The Presidency explained that the photograph was captured with a mobile phone, which accounted for its initial poor quality. It noted that the image was subsequently enhanced using a digital image-improvement tool to improve clarity, stressing that such enhancement does not amount to the creation of an AI-generated or fabricated image.
According to it, the picture is real. It was not generated by AI, as has been wrongly suggested. The Presidency further stated that enhancing image quality after capture does not invalidate the authenticity of the moment or the meeting.
The Presidency expressed concern over what it described as hasty conclusions and inaccurate reporting, urging journalists and editors to seek clarification and verify facts before publishing claims capable of misleading the public.
While describing the development as unfortunate, Presidency officials wonder why some commentators reached sweeping conclusions without making basic inquiries. The statement added that responsible journalism demands diligence, verification, and fairness.
The clarification was signed by Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, who reaffirmed the Presidency’s commitment to transparency and accurate public communication.
