As of 2023, most deepfake videos had red flags like blurred ears, odd lip-syncing, and glitchy shadows that made them detectable.
By 2025, these flaws had all but disappeared. Advancements in AI image generation and real-time face-swapping tools have made manipulated videos almost indistinguishable from real footage, turning simple smartphone clips into powerful misinformation weapons.
Read also: Watch out for these disinformation trends in 2025!
This year, AI-created images and deepfake videos blended so seamlessly into political debates, celebrity scandals, and even breaking news events that spotting what was fake often required forensic analysis, not intuition.
What used to be the domain of specialised creators suddenly became mainstream. Political actors, scammers, and propagandists quickly took advantage.
Here are some of the major deepfake videos and AI-generated videos that we fact-checked in 2025
AI-generated R. Kelly song
In January, a viral video claimed that jailed singer R. Kelly had released a new song titled My Soul Cries Out. The clip showed a man resembling R. Kelly performing in a prison jumpsuit and quickly spread on social media.
Upon fact-checking, we found the claim to be false. The video showed signs of AI generation, including unnatural movements, inconsistent facial features, poor lip and hand synchronisation, and even spelling changes on the prison uniform. Audio checks also failed to link the song to any official release.
The original video was traced to a YouTube user who disclosed that both the song and visuals were created using AI tools. The creator had a history of producing AI-generated music attributed to R. Kelly.
Image depicting Wole Soyinka as a hunter
In February, a viral image shared on X claimed to show a Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka dressed as a local hunter in Ogun State. The image resurfaced amid growing concerns about digitally altered visuals online.
Findings by The FactCheckHub showed the claim was misleading. Reverse image searches traced the photo back to 2014, when it first appeared on internet forums as a “funny” image. Visual analysis revealed blurring around the neck area, indicating digital manipulation. Further checks using TinEye confirmed that the original image does not depict Soyinka.
Video showing Kwankwaso and Ganduje in a fight
A viral Facebook video claimed to show former Kano State governors Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Abdullahi Ganduje exchanging punches after a photoshoot. The clip, widely shared in early 2025, appeared dramatic and resembled a Kung Fu-style fight, further fuelling existing political tensions between supporters of both men.
When we analysed the video, it was evident that it was AI-generated. A reverse image search traced the original image used to create the clip to a 2012 photo of Ganduje presenting an award plaque to Kwankwaso in Abuja. Further analysis revealed watermarks linked to an AI tool commonly used to animate still images into fake fight scenes. The claim was therefore misleading, with the viral video identified as a deepfake created from an old photograph.
Salah quitting Liverpool
A viral TikTok video posted in March claimed that Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah announced he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season, blaming teammates Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota. The clip, shared in March 2025, quickly gained traction with hundreds of thousands of engagements and was framed as a post-match reaction after Liverpool’s Champions League exit.
Checks showed the claim was false. The video’s visuals were traced to a genuine January 2025 post-match interview with Salah after Liverpool’s win over Lille, where he spoke only about his goal record and the team’s performance. The TikTok version was digitally altered: it was mirrored, had manipulated audio, and carried a disclaimer admitting it was edited using an AI tool. The misleading clip highlighted how AI-generated and doctored videos increasingly fuel sports misinformation in 2025.
Wizkid’s ‘free school’
A Facebook post that circulated in early 2025 claimed that Afrobeats star Wizkid built and owns a “Wizkid FC School” offering free education as part of a philanthropic initiative. The image of the building, widely shared across Facebook pages and blogs, was presented as evidence of the project.
The FactCheckHub found the claim to be false. The image was AI-generated, bearing a Meta AI watermark and scoring 98 per cent AI-generated on detection tools. Visual errors, including misspellings on the building signage, further raised red flags. Searches across news reports, public records, and Wizkid’s official channels found no evidence that the singer owns or operates any school.
Burkina Faso tax-free under Traoré
In April, a video circulating on TikTok claimed that Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, had declared the country tax-free, lifting all taxes on salaries, businesses, and foreign investments. The video featured a scripted newscast-style voiceover over unrelated footage, and gained over 150,000 likes and 14,000 shares.
Fact-check by The FactCheckHub found the claim to be false. The video was partially AI-generated, with visual and audio inconsistencies such as staccato movements and out-of-sync speech. A key clip of Traoré was traced to his speech at the 2024 Academic Excellence Day, not an announcement of a tax-free policy.
Official records and credible media sources show no such tax-free regime exists. In fact, Burkina Faso’s 2025 Finance Act, passed in December 2024, expanded the country’s tax base, including e-commerce taxation.
Rihanna’s tribute to Diogo Jota
In July, A viral video claimed that Barbadian singer Rihanna released a tribute song for the late Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota. The 3-minute, 48-second clip showed a woman purported to be Rihanna in gardens, fields, and churches, with fast, staccato movements and inconsistent hand gestures.
The FactCheckHub confirmed the claim is false. The video and audio were digitally manipulated and AI-generated. Rihanna’s last solo release was Lift Me Up in October 2022, and the viral video does not appear on her verified channels. A nearly identical version on YouTube included a disclaimer noting it was created with synthetic media.
Nasarawa flyover collapse
A viral collage claimed that a newly constructed N10 billion flyover in Lafia, Nasarawa State, collapsed barely three weeks after commissioning. Checks by The FactCheckHub show the claim is misleading. The images were traced to an AI-generated video posted by a Facebook page known for its synthetic content, featuring clear visual distortions typical of generative AI.
The false claim gained traction following a real but separate incident in Keffi, Nasarawa State, where part of a flyover was damaged on July 18, 2025, after an overloaded truck struck a beam. No credible media report or official statement confirms a flyover collapse in Lafia.
Lekki flooding and Herbert Wigwe ‘s home
In August, a hyper-realistic AI-generated video shared by X user @classy_jesters sparked wide attention after appearing to show luxury cars being ferried through floodwaters in Lekki, Lagos. The 19-second clip was labelled as AI-generated satire but still amassed nearly one million views within days.
Despite the disclosure, the video’s realism led some viewers to believe it showed a real flooding incident—an assumption made more plausible by Lekki’s history of severe flooding. Comments revealed a split audience: while many recognised the satire, others took it at face value, raising concerns about how easily AI visuals can mislead.
The episode highlights a broader issue: older and less digitally literate audiences often struggle to interpret AI labels or may not understand what “AI-generated” means.
Later the same month, A viral video showing an abandoned house was claimed to depict the late Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe’s home. Findings by The FactCheckHub show the claim is misleading. Reverse image searches traced the video to a Facebook post by a comedian, Classy Jesters, who shared it as a generic, philosophical skit with no reference to Wigwe.
The video also carries a “Jester AI” watermark, confirming it was generated using an AI tool commonly used for hyper-realistic content. Archived footage of Wigwe’s actual residence, published after he died in 2024, shows a completely different property, confirming the viral video does not represent his house or assets.
What were some of the AI-generated, and deep fake videos you encountered in 2025?, let us know in the comment section.
This report is republished from The FactCheckHub.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org