The Presidency has firmly rejected circulating claims that a photograph showing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rwandan President Paul Kagame at a private meeting in Paris, France was artificially generated using artificial intelligence (AI). Officials described the narrative as false and misleading and urged media outlets and the public to verify information before publication.
In a statement issued on Monday, Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, clarified that the image in question is genuine and was captured during an actual lunch meeting between the two leaders on Sunday, January 4, 2026, in the French capital.
“The narrative that the picture of Presidents Bola Tinubu and Paul Kagame taken in Paris yesterday was AI-generated is not correct,” Ajayi said, stressing that remarks and social media commentary suggesting otherwise were a misrepresentation of facts.
The controversy began after the photograph, which showed the two presidents seated together, was shared on Tinubu’s official social media accounts. Observers noted a “Grok” watermark on the image — a mark associated with generative AI tools developed by xAI, leading some users online to allege that the image was fake.
Grok, an AI system capable of producing text and images and performing real-time online search, has been increasingly used across platforms, including for enhancing image quality.
Ajayi explained that the original photograph was taken with a mobile phone, which produced sub-optimal image quality. To make the picture clearer for publication, the photographer used Grok to enhance its resolution and clarity — not to generate a fabricated scene. According to the Presidency, using AI tools for enhancement does not equate to the image being AI-generated.
“The picture is real and not AI generated as claimed,” the statement emphasised. It also noted that beyond the lunch meeting, both Presidents Tinubu and Kagame later dined with French President Emmanuel Macron the same evening.
Ajayi criticised sections of the media and social media users for leaping to conclusions without seeking official clarification, saying: “The writer or editor should have asked questions before this wrong conclusion.”
The photo’s publication and the ensuing debate have stirred discussions across Nigerian social media platforms, with some commentators questioning the Presidency’s media practices. Critics noted that the use of AI tools — even for enhancement — in official imagery requires clear communication to prevent confusion.
The lunch meeting in Paris formed part of President Tinubu’s ongoing engagements in Europe, where he has been spending the festive season and participating in diplomatic activities. His reported discussions with President Kagame focused on global and continental affairs, particularly advancing African strategic interests.
