The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has issued a public warning against a fraudulent financial and poverty alleviation scheme video circulating on social media platforms.
In a statement released on Thursday via the company's official X (formerly Twitter) account, NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye categorically disowned the deceptive content that has been making rounds online.
The video in question, titled 'NNPCL and Government Back Bayo Ojulari's Financial Safety Plan,' was reportedly shared by a Facebook account named 'Mensageiro de Cristo.' NNPCL has confirmed that this content is entirely fraudulent.
AI-Generated Fraud
The national oil company described the video as fake AI-generated content featuring a cloned voice of its Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari. The company emphasized that it has no investment initiative of this nature and strongly urged the public to disregard the video.
"NNPCL has no such investment initiative and urges the public to disregard the video," the statement read in part, highlighting the growing concern over sophisticated digital scams targeting Nigerians.
This incident comes amid increasing cases of digital fraud in Nigeria, where scammers leverage artificial intelligence and deepfake technology to impersonate officials and organizations to defraud unsuspecting citizens.
The public is advised to verify information through official channels before engaging with any investment schemes claiming affiliation with government agencies or corporations.
