Presidency clarifies Tinubu-Kagame Paris photo was enhanced, not AI‑generated

The Presidency has clarified that a photograph of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rwandan President Paul Kagame taken in Paris, France was real, but enhanced using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve its quality.

In a statement, Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said the image was taken during the leaders’ private meeting in Paris on Sunday, which included a lunch and a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Ajayi explained that the original image, captured on a mobile device, had low resolution. “The picture was enhanced using an AI tool called Grok to improve clarity,” he said, stressing that the photo was not AI‑generated or fabricated.

The clarification came after the photo, which contained a Grok watermark, was shared on social media by President Tinubu and aides including Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant on Social Media, and Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. Some online users questioned the authenticity of the image.

Ajayi urged journalists and the public to verify facts before drawing conclusions, emphasizing the Presidency’s commitment to transparency in communications involving high‑profile diplomatic engagements.