Nigerian businessman and philanthropist Seyi Tinubu has denied personally donating ₦20 million to Nollywood actress Sarah Martins, following her emotional video thanking him for supporting her Golden Heart Foundation food outreach.

The actress had gone viral earlier in the week after announcing that Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had donated ₦20 million to her feeding initiative. In a teary Instagram video, Sarah Martins described the gesture as a moment of “grace after disgrace,” following her controversial encounter with officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) task force during a charity event in Lekki, Lagos.

However, Seyi Tinubu has now publicly clarified that while he supports Sarah’s charitable work, the ₦20 million contribution was not made directly by him. In an Instagram Story post, he explained that the funds came from “a group of compassionate friends” who were moved by Sarah’s viral story and wanted to help.

“I did not personally make a ₦20 million donation to Sarah Martins,” he wrote. “Some of my friends who were touched by her efforts decided to support her initiative. I fully encourage acts of kindness, but all must be done in line with proper processes and community rules.”

The clarification came after several blogs and entertainment outlets published headlines crediting the full donation to Seyi Tinubu, leading to widespread speculation online.

Sarah Martins, who recently launched her Golden Heart Foundation to provide free meals for underprivileged communities, has not yet issued a response to Seyi Tinubu’s statement. Her earlier post thanking him for “changing her life” remains visible on her verified Instagram page.

The development follows her recent clash with KAI officers, who reportedly shut down her street-feeding exercise for violating public-space regulations. That incident had drawn both sympathy and criticism online, sparking broader debate about philanthropy, compliance, and how influencers manage charitable projects in Lagos.

While the details surrounding the ₦20 million donation continue to trend across social media, Seyi Tinubu’s clarification appears aimed at maintaining transparency and preventing misrepresentation of his involvement in the initiative.