Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and one of Nigeria’s most prominent global figures, has issued a strong public warning about a sophisticated deepfake video circulating on social media that falsely uses her likeness to lure Nigerians into a fraudulent investment scheme.

The AI-manipulated video, which surfaced widely in recent days, purports to show Okonjo-Iweala endorsing a so called “Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s Civil Investment Project” or similar government-backed initiative. Promoters claim participants can invest a minimum of ₦380,000 and receive enormous weekly returns figures cited in reports range from ₦2.6 million to as high as ₦5 million per week through an automated, risk free platform supposedly limited to a small number of accounts.

In a direct post on her verified X account (@NOIweala) on February 11, 2026, Okonjo-Iweala swiftly debunked the content, labeling it a clear case of AI manipulation designed to exploit her reputation and dupe unsuspecting citizens.

“Just alerting Nigerians. Another fake AI-manipulated video. The authorities are handling. Just wanted to alert you to be aware of this,” she wrote. She added emphatically: “I only post on Twitter/X. I just don’t want people to be duped.”

The former Nigerian Finance Minister emphasized that she communicates exclusively through her official X profile and urged the public to disregard any content featuring her image or voice on other platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

The incident highlights the escalating threat of deepfake technology in Nigeria and beyond, where scammers increasingly deploy generative AI tools to create realistic but entirely fabricated videos of celebrities, politicians, and trusted public figures. Such impersonations often promote Ponzi or pyramid schemes, fake cryptocurrency investments, or other get-rich-quick frauds that prey on economic hardship and aspirations for financial security.

Cybersecurity advocates and anti fraud organizations have urged Nigerians to adopt basic verification habits: cross check claims against official verified accounts, be skeptical of unsolicited investment promises offering unrealistically high returns, and report suspicious content to platforms and relevant agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Okonjo-Iweala’s prompt response is credited with limiting potential damage, as her warning reached thousands quickly via shares on X and mainstream media coverage. The episode serves as a stark reminder of the dual edged nature of artificial intelligence, powerful for innovation but dangerously exploitable for deception in an era of widespread digital access and economic vulnerability.

As investigations continue, the WTO chief’s message remains clear: trust only verified sources, and when it comes to investments promising overnight riches, if it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.