The President Bola Tinubu Media Centre has sparked reactions online after sharing an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated image of First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu selling akara.

The image, posted on the Presidency’s official social media platforms on Friday, showed the First Lady at a roadside akara stand wearing an apron with the inscription, “Iya Alakara, fueling the nation with love.”

The post came days after Oluremi Tinubu said small businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kuli kuli require little capital to start. She explained that the Federal Government was supporting such ventures with grants rather than loans to help improve livelihoods.

Her comments drew mixed reactions, with some Nigerians describing them as insensitive to the country’s economic challenges, while others said she was simply encouraging affordable business opportunities.

The AI-generated image further fueled the debate, attracting criticism from some social media users who accused the Presidency of making light of the country’s economic hardship. Others defended the post, arguing that Nigerians had already turned the First Lady’s remarks into memes and jokes before the Presidency joined in.

President Bola Tinubu also referenced the controversy on Thursday during the Presidential Press Corps Dinner at the State House in Abuja, where he jokingly referred to the First Lady as “Iya Alakara” while acknowledging dignitaries at the event.