FG sounds warning on fake AI-driven Ads featuring President Tinubu

The federal government has alerted citizens about a counterfeit AI-crafted advertisement featuring President Bola Tinubu that is currently spreading on Facebook. The fraudulent message deceitfully encourages investment in a Ponzi scheme and has no endorsement from either the President or the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

ARCON, operating under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, clarified in a statement signed by its Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, that the public should be cautious of a fabricated AI-generated commercial that exploits President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s image and video to solicit investments in a fraudulent Ponzi operation.

The government also called on media proprietors and the general populace to stay vigilant, warning that breaches of Act No. 23 of 2022 will attract legal penalties. ARCON affirmed that the advertisement was neither reviewed nor approved for dissemination through official channels.

The agency urged all parties to commit to truthful and responsible promotional practices.

Similar incident involved computer-generated likenesses and voices of Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Mr. Seun Okinbaloye, which were maliciously utilized to push bogus remedies for ailments such as prostatitis and erectile dysfunction. Likewise, scams linked to auction solicitations using confiscated vehicles and rice bags by the Nigeria Customs Service have deceived many Nigerians.