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In the wake of a tumultuous year for information integrity, 2025 has emerged as a watershed moment for misinformation targeting Nigerian public figures and national interests, according to a comprehensive analysis by The FactCheckHub.
The proliferation of false narratives gained significant momentum following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians. This controversial pronouncement triggered a cascade of fabricated content across social media platforms, with numerous videos, photos, and statements manipulated to suggest fictional responses from Nigerian officials and political figures.
One particularly viral video purportedly showed President Bola Tinubu declaring, “We have no fear of whatever Trump is doing,” presented as a direct response to threats of U.S. military action. FactCheckHub’s investigation revealed the footage actually predated Trump’s remarks by two months and originally referred to Nigeria’s economic achievements, not foreign policy matters.
Similar misleading claims included a widely shared image allegedly showing National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu convening an emergency meeting with service chiefs in response to Trump’s statements. Verification proved the photo was taken days before Trump’s declaration and documented a routine meeting with newly appointed officials.
Domestic political tensions equally fueled the misinformation landscape. The confrontation between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Nigerian Navy officer Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima spawned multiple false narratives, including misattributed quotes from President Tinubu seemingly supporting either party in the dispute.
President Tinubu’s tax reforms became another fertile ground for misinformation. Social media posts erroneously claimed Nigerians earning ₦800,000 annually would face income tax rates of 11-20%, misrepresenting the progressive nature of the new tax framework. Similarly, claims about a new ₦500 surcharge on every ₦10,000 spent on petrol failed to acknowledge this was a revival of an existing provision, not a fresh imposition.
“The progressive system ensures low-income earners pay little or nothing while higher earners contribute proportionately more,” clarified Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to the President, countering widespread misconceptions about the tax structure.
Health-related misinformation also targeted prominent figures, with former President Muhammadu Buhari subjected to numerous false death reports. One widely shared video purporting to show Buhari’s funeral actually depicted the burial of Safara’u Umar Radda, mother of Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda. Other fabricated content included AI-generated statements falsely attributed to former First Lady Aisha Buhari claiming her husband had died years earlier.
International events equally suffered from misinformation tailored for Nigerian audiences. The tragic death of Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota in July 2025 prompted fake videos of Nigerian fans mourning and AI-generated content falsely presented as tributes from global celebrities. Claims of a military coup in Ivory Coast gained traction despite President Alassane Ouattara’s continued public appearances and normal daily life in Abidjan.
Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration as America’s 47th president generated its own wave of false narratives in Nigerian circles, including fabricated claims that Labour Party’s Peter Obi and Burkina Faso’s military leader Ibrahim Traoré received personal invitations to the ceremony. Fact-checkers confirmed both stories were unfounded, as neither appeared on official guest lists.
The November 2025 Anambra state elections represented perhaps the most concentrated period of electoral misinformation, with the Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition evaluating 28 viral claims over just three days. Their analysis determined only six were accurate, while 14 were entirely false and seven were misleading.
As digital platforms continue evolving, the challenge of distinguishing fact from fiction has never been more pressing for Nigerian information consumers navigating an increasingly complex media landscape.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
13 Comments
Wow, the scale of misinformation targeting Nigeria is really alarming. It’s scary to see how manipulated videos and images can be used to create completely fabricated stories. Fact-checking efforts like this are essential to combating the spread of disinformation and maintaining trust in information sources.
Misinformation has become a major challenge, as this article highlights. The ability of false narratives to spread rapidly on social media is really worrying. Fact-checking is so important to combat the spread of disinformation and maintain trust in information sources.
I agree, the rise of misinformation is a huge issue that needs to be addressed. Investigative efforts like this are crucial to exposing the truth behind the false claims.
Wow, the level of misinformation surrounding the Trump-Nigeria situation is really alarming. It’s scary how easily manipulated videos and images can be used to create completely false impressions. Kudos to the FactCheckHub for their thorough investigation and fact-checking efforts.
Interesting look at how misinformation can spread rapidly, especially around high-profile political events. It’s concerning to see how manipulated videos and images can create false narratives that gain traction. Fact-checking efforts like this are crucial to combat the spread of disinformation.
This is a really important investigation into the impact of misinformation on Nigeria’s political landscape. The ability of fabricated content to spread rapidly and shape public perception is extremely concerning. Kudos to the FactCheckHub for their efforts to expose the truth behind these false narratives.
This is a really concerning trend, where misinformation is being used to target public figures and national interests. The level of manipulation involved in creating fake content is really troubling. It’s great to see thorough investigations like this that expose the truth behind the false narratives.
Interesting to see how the Trump-Nigeria situation has been impacted by the spread of misinformation. It’s really concerning how easily manipulated videos and images can be used to create false impressions. Kudos to the FactCheckHub for their diligent fact-checking efforts.
This is a timely and important investigation. The proliferation of misinformation around political events and figures is extremely concerning. It’s crucial that we have rigorous fact-checking to counter the spread of false narratives and maintain the integrity of information.
Wow, the scale of misinformation targeting Nigeria is really alarming. It’s scary to see how manipulated videos and images can be used to create completely fabricated stories. Kudos to the FactCheckHub for their in-depth analysis and fact-checking efforts.
I agree, the ability of misinformation to spread so rapidly online is a major challenge that needs to be addressed. Fact-checking is essential to combat the proliferation of false narratives and maintain trust in information sources.
The prevalence of misinformation around political events and public figures is a major issue that needs to be addressed. It’s troubling to see how false narratives can gain traction so quickly, especially on social media. Rigorous fact-checking is crucial to maintaining the integrity of information.
This is a concerning trend, where misinformation targets public figures and national interests. The proliferation of fake content across social media is really troubling. It’s good to see in-depth investigations like this that expose the truth behind the false narratives.