BY: Mustapha Lawal
Claim:
“Bola Tinubu Empowerment” scheme is offering N85,000.
Verdict:
False! It is a scam. The All Progressives Congress (APC) have debunked the claim.
Full Text
A message circulating across WhatsApp and Facebook claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched a new “empowerment programme” that disburses N85,000 to Nigerians. The message includes a phone number and urges people to call or text to register and benefit from the scheme.
According to the viral message, beneficiaries are to pay a processing fee to secure access to the fund. Some versions of the message even claim it is supported by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
This has caused concern among citizens, especially amid growing economic hardship. But is the empowerment scheme authentic? FactCheckAfrica checked!
Verification
FactCheckAfrica conducted a verification process by cross-referencing the circulating message with statements from the APC and credible news sources.
On April 22, 2025, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the All Progressives Congress posted a “SCAM ALERT”, warning Nigerians against falling for a fraudulent scheme claiming to offer an “N85,000 Bola Tinubu Empowerment” disbursement. In the post, the party categorically disowned the programme and urged the public not to call the numbers attached to the scam message.
Additionally, reputable media platforms such as Punch, The Guardian and Leadership newspapers also published reports confirming that the APC has raised an alarm about the fake scheme, labelling it as an attempt to exploit vulnerable Nigerians.
No official statement from the Presidency, National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), or Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs indicates any such initiative exists. The message also lacks any official branding, website, or verifiable contact information, which are red flags commonly associated with scams.
Furthermore, previous fact-checks conducted by FactCheckAfrica and other credible platforms have uncovered similar patterns of fake empowerment schemes targeting the names of prominent politicians.
Conclusion
The viral message advertising an N85,000 “Bola Tinubu Empowerment” programme is false and should be ignored. It is a fraudulent scheme designed to scam unsuspecting Nigerians.
Members of the public are advised to disregard the message, avoid sharing it, and never pay fees or submit personal information in response to such suspicious offers.
Only trust verified platforms and official government communication channels for updates on real empowerment or welfare programmes.
