Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has deleted a tweet after falsely claiming that the president
Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has deleted a tweet after falsely claiming that the president secured a $600 million investment commitment from Maersk, a global shipping firm.
The erroneous statement was made following discussions between Tinubu and Robert Maersk Uggla, the chairman of Maersk, during the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia.
Onanuga’s now-deleted tweet mirrored a statement from the presidency announcing Maersk’s purported investment in Nigeria’s seaport industry.
Onanuga released a statement on his X handle claiming that the shipping giant plans to invest $600m in the ports.
“Danish shipping company, A.P Moller-Maersk plans $600m investment in Nigeria. Danish shipping and logistics company A.P Moller-Maersk has disclosed a planned investment of $600 million in Nigeria to accommodate more container shipping services in Nigerian ports,” Onanuga wrote in a post on X which he has deleted.
However, scrutiny revealed inconsistencies, prompting Onanuga to remove the tweet.
Maersk officials also denied Ononuga’s investment claim.
Maersk, when contacted, clarified that while discussions with Nigerian officials occurred, no specific investment promises were made.
This incident reflects a recurring pattern of misinformation from Tinubu’s information team, reminiscent of a previous false claim about the UAE lifting its visa ban on Nigerians. Nigerians have criticized Onanuga’s misleading tweet, highlighting the importance of accurate and transparent communication from government officials.
