Fact-Check: Three false claims by Tinubu’s administration in the last 30 days

The administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has in recent weeks made several public statements that have come under scrutiny.

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Each of these claims, presented as facts or assertions, has been assessed for accuracy and completeness, to measure the level of openness in the information being communicated to the public.

Ensuring the credibility of public statements is essential for building trust and keeping the public well-informed.

This endeavour has unearthed discrepancies and misinformation. Below are three claims put forth by the administration in the last 30 days which have been debunked:

1. i-DICE Investment Initiative Project Launch

Last Friday, Vice President Kashim Shettima, announced plans to launch the Digital and Creative Enterprises (i-DICE) investment initiative project in November.

The project was presented as a groundbreaking effort to revolutionize Nigeria’s digital and creative sectors, aiming to generate millions of jobs within the technology sector.

But checks by TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) revealed that i-DICE was actually launched almost seven months ago by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other partners.

This flagship initiative was designed to drive funding for Nigeria’s digital and creative industries, encompassing film, fashion, music, entrepreneurship, and innovation in digital technology.

2. NASDAQ Closing Bell Ring

A claim was initially made by the Presidency on 21 September, asserting that President Bola Tinubu was the first African leader to ring the closing bell at NASDAQ.

However, evidence surfaced contradicting this claim, revealing that President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania had rung the closing bell at NASDAQ in 2011.

The initial claim was later retracted, and a corrigendum was issued acknowledging the error and expressing regret for the misinformation.

3. UAE Visa Ban Lift

On 11^th September, the Nigerian government claimed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had decided to lift a two-year-long visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers.

This assertion was subsequently contradicted by an official from the UAE, who stated that there had been no changes in the travel status for Nigerians.

The UAE had imposed the visa ban, affecting Nigerian nationals and disrupting flights between both countries due to issues related to revenue access and repatriation by Emirates airline.