The Nigerian Presidency recently faced a significant controversy after sharing an image on Sunday, January 4, 2026, purporting to show President Bola Tinubu in a private engagement with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris. The photograph, which quickly gained traction and went viral, was initially posted by President Tinubu himself and subsequently by his aides across social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter). According to President Tinubu's post, the meeting was a private lunch focused on discussions concerning global affairs and advancing Africa's position in an evolving international landscape.

Confirming the official narrative, the president's Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, reiterated that President Bola Tinubu was at a private lunch in Paris with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. Similarly, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, also shared the image and the context, noting the discussions on world affairs and Africa's advancement. The posts aimed to convey a productive diplomatic engagement between the two African leaders.

However, the authenticity of the image was soon called into question. An X note, appended to President Tinubu's original post, flagged the photograph as appearing to be "AI-generated," specifically citing the presence of a "GrokAI badge." Grok is a generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI, a company owned by Elon Musk, known for its capabilities in generating images, conducting real-time searches, and producing text-based responses.

This revelation immediately sparked widespread debate and concern among Nigerians. The use of an AI-generated image in official presidential communication, particularly for a matter involving international diplomacy, led to questions about transparency, credibility, and the standards of official representation. Further raising doubts, despite President Tinubu tagging President Kagame in his post, neither the controversial image nor any reference to the reported meeting appeared on President Kagame's verified X account. As of the time of reporting, the Rwandan leader's last post was dated November 27, and concerned English football club Arsenal FC.

The Nigerian Presidency has yet to provide an explanation for the use of an AI-generated image to depict the reported meeting between President Tinubu and President Kagame. Furthermore, it has not clarified whether an authentic photograph from the purported engagement exists, leaving many questions unanswered regarding this unusual diplomatic communication.