THE year 2025 was marked by misinformation involving Nigerian public figures, international events, and high-profile incidents across politics, economics, and social issues.
As social media continues to play a dominant role in information dissemination, statements, videos, and images shared online are increasingly scrutinised for accuracy.
Prominent among the fact-checked issues this year were the deluge of misinformation that followed remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians.
His statements prompted widespread reactions, generating numerous misleading claims that attributed false statements and actions to Nigerian officials, political actors, and other personalities. Videos, photos, and posts were shared out of context or manipulated to suggest responses that never occurred.
Domestic political developments also fuelled misinformation. President Bola Tinubu’s tax reforms, clashes involving FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, disruptions on Ibom Air flights, and narratives surrounding former President Muhammadu Buhari’s health were all targets of false or misleading online stories. International events, such as the sudden death of footballer Diogo Jota, the Ivory Coast coup rumours, and Donald Trump’s inauguration, were also misrepresented for local audiences, further complicating the information landscape.
This report highlights some of the most notable verifications conducted by The FactCheckHub in 2025. It covers cases where videos, quotes, and images were misrepresented, recycled, or fabricated, resulting in false impressions among the public. The following list is presented in no particular order and provides insights into the claims that gained traction online.
1. Christian Genocide allegation and Donald Trump’s remarks on Nigeria
Following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s pronouncements about Nigeria being a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians, multiple misleading posts circulated online, attributing statements and actions to Nigerian officials and political figures.
A video shared on X by @IMC_BRGIE showed President Bola Tinubu saying, “We have no fear of whatever Trump is doing,” and was captioned: “Nigerians have no fear of whatever Trump is doing.” The clip, which gained over 1,000 views and 80 reposts, was presented as a response to Trump’s threat of possible U.S. military action.
FactCheckHub’s analysis revealed the video predates Trump’s November 2 remarks by two months. The full version, uploaded to YouTube on September 2, 2025, was about Nigeria’s economic achievements, not U.S. foreign policy. The claim was therefore misleading.
Similarly, a widely shared photo showing National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu meeting with service chiefs was falsely linked to Trump’s threat. The image, circulated by X user @whitenigerian, implied the meeting was convened in response to the U.S. president’s statement.
Reverse image searches showed that the photo predates Trump’s October 31 declaration, having been posted on October 28, 2025, and previously used in news coverage. In reality, the meeting concerned routine coordination among newly appointed service chiefs, unrelated to Trump. This claim was also misleading.
Another claim alleged that Trump had revoked 80,000 visas exclusively for Nigerians. The X post by @MasterBolaji was widely shared, but FactCheckHub found that the U.S. Department of State revoked visas for citizens of multiple countries, including Nigeria, as part of a broad enforcement initiative. This claim was therefore misleading.
A TikTok video showing women wailing in front of a burning building circulated with the caption that it depicted a church set ablaze by Islamic extremists in northern Nigeria. Investigation revealed that the video actually showed a fire at Kwapong Nursing Training College in Ghana, not Nigeria. The claim linking the footage to Nigeria was misleading.
Finally, a claim that former Kano State governor and NNPP presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso deleted his X post reacting to Trump’s comments was found to be false. The post remains visible on his verified X account (@KwankwasoRM) and clearly addresses Trump’s remarks, urging cooperation rather than confrontation.
2. Wike – Yerima altercation
A video circulating on social media suggested that President Bola Tinubu praised FCT Minister Nyesom Wike following a clash with Nigerian Navy officer Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima. The clip, shared by a Facebook page Progressive Nigerian Politics, showed Tinubu saying, “Wike is a good man and a performing minister,” and was captioned as the president backing Wike over the military.
The FactCheckHub review revealed the video predates the November 11, 2025, incident by nearly a year. The full clip, originally published in December 2024, captured Tinubu addressing journalists in Lagos about Wike’s performance as a minister, not a response to any naval altercation. This claim was therefore misleading.
A related claim misrepresented a quote attributed to Tinubu, saying “They put their lives on the line to defend the sovereignty of this country”, as his reaction to the Wike-Yerima clash. The statement was shared by a Facebook user, Nigeria News- Headline Today, suggesting the president sided with the military over Wike.
The FactCheckHub found that the comment was made in the context of the Nigerian Guild of Editors conference on November 12, 2025, addressing the broader role of the military in protecting citizens and combating terrorism and banditry. The quote had no connection to the FCT land dispute, making the claim misleading.
3. Misleading claims about President Tinubu’s new tax reforms
Following the signing of Nigeria’s new tax reforms by President Bola Tinubu in June 2025, several misleading claims circulated online. Social media posts suggested that starting January 2026, Nigerians earning ₦800,000 and above annually would be subjected to personal income tax rates of 11 to 20 per cent, while another claim stated that Nigerians would pay ₦500 for every ₦10,000 spent on petrol under the new law.
A post on X by Naija PR, for instance, stated that the surcharge on petrol would apply from January 2026, gaining over four million views. While a 5 per cent levy on fuel is stipulated in law, FactCheckHub clarified that this was not a new tax.
The Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, signed on June 26, revives an existing provision, requires official commencement via the Gazette, and exempts cleaner fuels such as kerosene, LPG, and CNG. There is also no confirmed start date for the surcharge, and the rate has been in effect in a similar form since the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency Act of 2007.
Similarly, posts claiming that President Tinubu would introduce a 20 per cent tax on anyone earning ₦800,000 or more annually misrepresented the law. In reality, the personal income tax system under the 2025 Act is progressive:
- First ₦800,000: 0%
- Next ₦2.2 million: 15%
- Next ₦9 million: 18%
- Next ₦13 million: 21%
- Next ₦25 million: 23%
- Above ₦50 million: 25%
The viral claims erroneously treated ₦800,000 as a monthly income rather than the annual threshold set by the law. Individuals earning ₦800,000 or less per year remain fully exempt, while the rates progressively increase for higher earners.
Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to the President, confirmed that the new tax framework is progressive and fair, with low-income earners paying little or nothing and higher earners paying proportionately more.
4. Flight disruption
In August 2025, videos circulated on X showing passengers on Ibom Air flights being confronted by security operatives, with claims linking them to the recent controversies involving Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM 1) and passenger Comfort Emmanson. One video, shared by @Oluwanyo with the caption “KWAM 1 has started a Trend!”, had over 700 reposts and 900 likes by August 13.
Fact-checking revealed that the footage was misleading. Reverse image searches traced the video back to January 8, 2025, when a passenger refused to board an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Abuja after discovering her luggage had not been loaded. The standoff escalated until the flight was eventually cancelled, leaving 89 passengers stranded. This incident was entirely separate from both the KWAM 1 and Comfort Emmanson occurrences in August 2025.
Another video, shared by @Oxygist, showing a passenger being confronted on a flight, was also falsely tied to recent events. In reality, the clip originated from March 31, 2023, when a man disrupted an Ibom Air flight from Abuja to Lagos by shouting political slogans about President Bola Tinubu. Security operatives removed the passenger, and Ibom Air issued a statement clarifying the incident.
5. False claims about former President Muhammadu Buhari’s health and death
Amid viral rumours in 2025 that former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was critically ill, multiple videos and posts circulated online, claiming he had passed away. One video showed Northern dignitaries at a funeral and was shared as evidence of Buhari’s burial. The post, widely shared on X and Facebook, claimed: “They finally unveil the death of Muhammad Buhari.”
Fact-checking revealed that the video was misleading. Reverse image searches and verification of key frames showed that it actually depicted the funeral of Safara’u Umar Radda, mother of Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, held on March 23, 2025. Multiple news outlets confirmed the event, which was attended by local governors and dignitaries.
Another viral claim suggested that Buhari had died in London, comparing it to the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua abroad in 2010. This claim was false. Yar’Adua had been treated in Saudi Arabia and Germany for health complications, but was brought back to Nigeria before he died in Abuja. Buhari himself was alive, and no credible reports confirmed his death in 2025.
A further claim falsely attributed to Aisha Buhari, former First Lady, stated that her husband had died in 2017. Fact-checkers determined this was also false. The post originated from impersonation accounts, and no verified social media or official sources confirmed such a statement. The image itself showed signs of digital manipulation.
A TikTok video showing a patient being wheeled through a hospital was circulated as Buhari’s final moments. Analysis revealed the footage was originally from March 2023, depicting a U.S. hospital farewell ceremony for Mercedes Castañeda, a brain-dead Colombian woman about to donate her organs. The visuals and music were unrelated to Buhari.
6. Diogo Jota’s Death
Following the sudden death of Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota in a car accident on July 3, 2025, social media was flooded with tributes and reactions. Amid the outpouring of grief, several videos went viral, generating misinformation.
One video showed a group of Liverpool supporters marching on a street, which some users claimed depicted Nigerian fans mourning Jota. In reality, careful examination revealed that the footage was from Gulu, northern Uganda, as indicated by banners reading “NORTHERN UGANDA LIVERPOOL FANS,” and local reporting confirmed the march took place there.
Another video falsely claimed that Rihanna had released a tribute song for Jota. Analysis by fact-checkers showed the clip was AI-generated and digitally manipulated, with no official release or verification from the singer’s channels. Audio recognition tools and platform checks confirmed the content was synthetic.
7. A coup that never occurred
Another major misinformation wave this year centred on viral posts claiming that the Ivory Coast had experienced a military coup. Several X users circulated videos and alarming captions alleging gunfire in Abidjan, the disappearance or death of President Alassane Ouattara, and buildings being set ablaze as part of the supposed uprising. Some of these posts garnered hundreds of thousands of views.
The FactCheckHub investigations, supported by multiple journalists in Abidjan, confirmed that no coup took place. President Ouattara was publicly active during the period, including participating in the UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Prize ceremony and chairing a council of ministers meeting. Local reporters also noted that daily life in Abidjan remained normal, with no unusual military activity.
One widely circulated video showing a burning building was also misrepresented. A reverse image search revealed that the footage came from a February 5, 2025, fire at the Adjamé Château shopping centre in Abidjan and had no connection to any political unrest.
Despite a regional backdrop where several West and Central African countries have experienced coups since 2020, fact-checkers found no credible evidence of a similar event in the Ivory Coast. The claims were either false or misleading, driven by recycled footage and sensational social media narratives.
8. Trump’s inauguration
One of the biggest events that occurred in 2025 was the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of America. The development led to a series of misinformations regarding the event.
The ceremony, held in the US Capitol Rotunda because of freezing weather, was attended by figures such as Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, political allies, and thousands of supporters. His return sparked concern among immigrant communities due to his tough immigration policies.
The inauguration also triggered a wave of misinformation online, especially among Nigerian and African audiences.
One viral claim falsely alleged that Nigeria’s Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was invited to Trump’s inauguration. FactCheckHub’s investigation showed that this was false, as he did not appear on any official guest list. The misleading story originated from a pro-Obi platform that only referenced an X post by Nenadi Usman, who attended on behalf of the Labour Party.
Another false claim circulated that Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, rejected a personal invitation from Donald Trump. Fact-checking revealed that Traoré was never invited, and his name did not appear in the official list of foreign guests.
Media reports from outlets like the Associated Press and Al Jazeera confirmed that only a small number of foreign leaders were invited to the ceremony, including China’s Xi Jinping, Argentina’s Javier Milei, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and others. Historically, foreign heads of state rarely attend U.S. presidential inaugurations.
In both cases, fact-checkers found no credible evidence supporting the viral claims, concluding that the stories were false and based on misleading social media posts.
9. Anambra election
On November 8, residents of the state went to the polls to elect their next administrator. Despite high expectations for a transparent electoral process, the campaign period, election day, and the aftermath were characterised by a flurry of unverified claims and viral content designed to confuse voters and undermine the electoral process.
Reports circulated online claiming that a certain candidate had won, violent incidents occurred, that officials were caught with cash, and that voting malpractices were rampant. Many of these stories, however, were found to be false or misleading, fact-checks by the Nigerian Fact-Checkers’ Coalition (NFC) later revealed.
Over the three days, the coalition fact-checked multiple claims but was able to conclude on a total of 28 claims. Out of these, six were verified as correct, 14 as incorrect, seven as misleading, and one as unproven.
Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.
