Business
DEBUNKER New Edition // Get the facts here
“Hello and welcome to the Fake News Debunker of West
Africa Broadcast and Media Academy, WABMA is a professional media training
institute and a finishing school for aspiring and current media practitioners;
offering short and long-term certificate courses at the basic, intermediate,
and advanced levels
First stop – Did Did Elon Musk say he would delete
Twitter, Facebook and buy Nigeria?
FOLLOWING the successful acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk which has elicited mixed reactions on social media, several images which show tweets purportedly originating from his verified Twitter handle have surfaced online.
One of the images which have now gone viral on social media showed a purported tweet from Elon Musk’s verified handle saying after he had acquired Twitter, he would acquire Facebook as well and delete both of them.
The fabricated tweet is dated April 25 and supposedly generated about 950,000 likes and 136,000 retweets.
Another similar tweet purportedly originated from him reads :
“I hope to buy Nigeria as a country. Then fix it.”
Here is what we know, the images are manipulated using tweet generator tools.
A keyword search on the verified Twitter handle of the new Twitter buyer gave no result of such tweets.
There is also no reported official announcement from Musk that he would delete Twitter and Facebook neither there is any report quoting him that he would buy Nigeria.
Next, is it true that IFCN, Meta offer grants to help
fact-checkers fight misinformation on WhatsApp.
The answer is Yes!, The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has revealed plans to assist fact-checkers globally to tackle misinformation on WhatsApp, the world’s largest messaging app, through grant support.
According to Poynter Institute’s IFCN, the support, in partnership with Meta, tagged “Spread the Facts Grant Program” will enable fact-checkers “to launch, innovate and scale fact-checking solutions” on a global level.
“More than 2 billion people around the world rely on WhatsApp to connect with friends and family, stay updated on world events, and share information,” said Ferdi Özsoy, programme manager at the IFCN.
“With support from WhatsApp, the Spread the Facts Grant Program will give verified fact-checking organizations resources to deescalate the harm of viral misinformation and improve the quality of public debate,” he added.
Promotional – Voice — Do you have a story? Tag us on socials @wabmaonline or share with us on WhatsApp at +234 902 547 8072 and we will fact check that for you
Did a presidential aspirant makefalse claims about voting
population?
On the 5th of March 2022, the former president of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a presidential aspirant in a post on his verified Facebook page made claims about the statistics of the voting population in the country.
CLAIM 1
Women hold more than 50% of the voting population.
Our finding shows that the claim is false.
According to the voter statistics available on the official website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), women hold 47.1% of the total voting population of the country, while men hold 52.9%.
This is further confirmed in the data request response from the office of the INEC Chairman which shows that registered women voters are 39,598,645 million of the total 84,004,084 million registered voters.
CLAIM 2
Youths under 25 years old hold more than 70% of the voting population.
The finding shows that this claim is also false.
In the data statistics report gotten from the office of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), registered youths under the age of 25 years old (18-24) amount to a total of 9,016,686 million across the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory.
This implies that youths under 25 years old hold only 10.7% of the total voting population of 84,004,084million.
Conclusion:
[Remember to fact-check anything before you share it. Don’t engage, Don’t amplify]
Do you have a story? Tag us on socials @wabmaonline or share with us on WhatsApp at +234 902 547 8072 and we will fact check that for you
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We fact-checked the viral claim that Ikeja Electric was named “Worst Company of the Year 2025” and that its executives received “Worst Business People” awards. Read the verdict.
A provocative message has been spreading rapidly across WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms in Nigeria. The claim is direct: Ikeja Electric was recognized as the Worst Company of the Year 2025.
The message goes further, alleging that the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Folake Soetan, and Board Chairman, Kola Adesina, received a specific award titled Worst Business People. The supposed presenter of this award was the Nigerian Global Business Forum.
We asked a simple question: Did this actually happen?
We conducted a thorough investigation to verify this claim:
- Searched for Official Announcements: We found no official press statement, event report, or award listing from the Nigerian Global Business Forum regarding a “Worst Company” award.
- Reputable News Platforms: Credible Nigerian and global media outlets that cover the power sector have no record of this award. If a major national distributor had been publicly named “worst company,” it would have been widely reported.
- Examined Context (Regulatory Action): While the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) did seal Ikeja Electric’s headquarters in December 2025 over compliance issues, regulatory enforcement is not the same as a global “worst company” award.
- Checked Previous Recognitions: In prior years, Ikeja Electric has received industry awards for performance and gender diversity, contradicting the claim of a consistent “worst” performance.
- Direct Company Response: Ikeja Electric has publicly denied the report and announced plans for a forensic investigation and possible legal action against those responsible for spreading the claim.
After examining all available evidence, one fact stands clear: There is no verifiable record that Ikeja Electric, its CEO, or its Chairman received any official “Worst Company of the Year 2025” or “Worst Business People” award.
This story circulating online is a headline without proof.
Our verdict is: Unverified. Until credible proof exists, this claim must be considered unverified misinformation.
When dramatic and provocative claims appear, especially those that damage reputations, it is crucial to pause and check. Look for official sources and independent confirmation. Absence of evidence does not prove innocence, but bold accusations require credible proof.
✴️ Ep.116– Does Viral Video Show a Market Between Congo and Gabon Where Parents Sell Their Children?
✴️ Ep.116–WABMA Fake News Debunker;
Dew
May 19, 2022 at 3:01 am
It’s the first time the fact on the general belief that women hold more than 50 percent of the voting population is treated with clarity. It’s now clear it’s not true.
Again, fact check on youths under 25 years holding more than 70 percent of voting population is another false information. I love fact clarity on it.