The Presidency of Nigeria has moved swiftly to counter online speculation, firmly stating that a widely circulated photograph of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with his Rwandan counterpart, President Paul Kagame, is authentic and was not created by artificial intelligence.
Official Statement Debunks AI Claims
On Monday, January 5, 2026, Mr. Temitope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, issued a clarification. This came after both Nigerian citizens and international observers questioned the picture's legitimacy. The image had been shared on the Facebook page of another presidential spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
Ajayi explicitly labelled the narrative that the picture was AI-generated as incorrect. He further described the ensuing media reports and social media commentary as a misrepresentation of the actual facts surrounding the image.
The Truth Behind the Paris Meeting
According to the detailed explanation from the Presidency, the photograph captures a genuine moment from an official engagement between the two African leaders in Paris. The meeting took place on Sunday, January 4.
Ajayi provided context to the visit, revealing that Presidents Tinubu and Kagame met in the French capital, where they shared a lunch. Later that same evening, they were joined by French President Emmanuel Macron for a dinner engagement.
Photo Quality Enhancement Explained
The presidential aide addressed the root of the controversy directly: the picture's quality. He clarified that the original photograph was taken using a mobile phone, which impacted its initial sharpness and clarity.
To improve the image for public viewing, digital tools were subsequently used. Ajayi specifically mentioned that the photo was later enhanced using 'Grok' to boost its quality. He stressed that this standard editorial practice of image enhancement is entirely separate from generating a fake image using AI.
"The picture is real and not AI generated as claimed. The photographer only later used Grok to improve the picture quality. That is not a reason to conclude it was AI generated," Ajayi stated emphatically.
Call for Media and Public Caution
In his statement, Ajayi also criticised reports that had prematurely labelled the photograph as fake. The Presidency used this incident to urge both the media and the general public to exercise greater caution.
The call is for individuals and outlets to verify information thoroughly before spreading claims that have the potential to mislead the public. This underscores the ongoing challenge of misinformation in the digital age, even concerning official state activities.
