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TRUTH OR FAKE: Viral Deepfake of Tinubu Promising ₦100 Per Litre Fuel is AI-Generated Hoax

THE CLAIM

A widely circulated video on TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp purports to show President Bola Ahmed Tinubu delivering a public address in which he promises to reduce the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to ₦100 per litre. The video features what appears to be the President speaking in his characteristic voice and mannerisms, making what many Nigerians would consider an extraordinary and welcome policy announcement amid the current cost-of-living crisis.

The video is accompanied by captions claiming that the President made this commitment during a recent public engagement and that the policy will take effect immediately. The post has been shared tens of thousands of times, with many commenters expressing hope and others skepticism.

THE BACKGROUND

Nigeria has been grappling with a severe cost-of-living crisis, driven in significant part by the removal of fuel subsidies and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market. Petrol prices have risen from approximately ₦200 per litre before the subsidy removal to current levels ranging from ₦1,290 to ₦1,350 per litre. Diesel prices have climbed even higher, reaching between ₦1,600 and ₦1,800 per litre.

Against this backdrop of economic hardship, any claim suggesting a dramatic reduction in fuel prices would understandably generate significant public interest and viral engagement. The promise of ₦100 per litre petrol would represent a reversal of the administration's core economic reform agenda—a reform President Tinubu has consistently defended as necessary and non-negotiable.

THE VERIFICATION

Prime Brief Media conducted a multi-layered forensic investigation of the viral video. Our findings are definitive.

1. Audio Analysis

We submitted the audio track of the viral video to waveform analysis and forensic audio examination. The analysis revealed clear artifacts consistent with artificial intelligence voice synthesis. The cadence, pitch modulation, and phonetic transitions contain digital signatures characteristic of deepfake audio generation tools. The voice, while superficially similar to President Tinubu's distinctive speech pattern, fails on closer examination of specific vowel formations and the natural pauses that characterise authentic human speech.

2. Visual Footage Tracing

Through reverse image search and frame-by-frame analysis, we determined that the visual component of the video was not filmed recently. The footage was traced to a presidential media chat recorded during the 2023 election campaign, specifically a segment broadcast by Channels Television on January 15, 2023. In the original, authentic footage, President Tinubu (then candidate Tinubu) discussed his economic vision in broad terms but made no reference whatsoever to a ₦100 per litre fuel price.

The creators of the deepfake extracted this footage and superimposed the AI-generated audio to create the false impression of a contemporary policy announcement.

3. Official Record and Statements

President Tinubu has not made any public statement promising to reduce fuel prices to ₦100 per litre. A review of all official communications from the Presidency, including press releases, verified social media posts, and transcripts of public engagements, reveals no such announcement.

On the contrary, senior administration officials have consistently reiterated that while the government is implementing measures to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal, a return to subsidised pricing is not under consideration. The Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, in a recent interview, stated: "The era of fuel subsidies is behind us. Our focus is on targeted interventions that protect the most vulnerable Nigerians while maintaining the fiscal gains of the reforms."

4. Independent Fact-Check Confirmation

Multiple independent fact-checking organisations, including Africa Check and Dubawa, have investigated this identical video and reached the same conclusion. Africa Check rated the claim as "False," confirming that the audio was artificially generated and the visuals were misappropriated from old campaign footage. The Nigeria Police Force has also issued a statement describing similar manipulated content as part of a disinformation campaign designed to cause public confusion and inflame sentiment.

PRIME BRIEF MEDIA VERDICT: FAKE

The viral video claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised to reduce fuel prices to ₦100 per litre is a sophisticated deepfake hoax created using artificial intelligence tools.

The evidence is conclusive:

· The audio was generated using AI voice synthesis technology.

· The video footage is from a 2023 election campaign media chat.

· No such policy announcement exists in official government records.

· Independent fact-checkers have uniformly rated the claim as false.

The creation and dissemination of this deepfake appears designed to exploit genuine public anxiety over fuel prices, either to generate social media engagement or to undermine confidence in government policy. Nigerians are advised to treat all extraordinary claims circulating on social media with appropriate skepticism and to verify information through official government channels and reputable news organisations before sharing.

Prime Brief Media remains committed to combating disinformation and providing accurate, context-rich reporting on matters of public concern.

For reference and further verification:

· Original Channels Television interview (January 15, 2023)

· Africa Check fact-check report

· Dubawa fact-check report

· Official Presidency communications channels