President Bola Tinubu and the embattled Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji following damning revelations of certificate forgery.
In a statement issued by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency announced:
> “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, following some allegations against him.
“He resigned today in a letter thanking the President for allowing him to serve Nigeria. President Tinubu thanked him for his service and wished him well in future endeavours.”
The resignation follows a comprehensive investigative report by _Premium Times,_ which uncovered that Nnaji forged key academic documents, including his university degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate — both of which were used to secure his ministerial nomination.
*Inside the Scandal: A Web of Forged Credentials
The investigative report, published by Premium Times, followed a two-year trail of inconsistencies in Nnaji’s official records.
The revelations point to a systematic attempt to mislead the Nigerian Senate, the Presidency, and the public with forged documents.
Among the most explosive findings:
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) confirmed in official correspondence that Nnaji never graduated from the institution, and was never issued any certificate, despite claiming a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering.
In court documents uncovered during the probe, Nnaji admitted under oath that he had no degree certificate from UNN, directly contradicting claims made in his ministerial profile submitted to the National Assembly.
The NYSC discharge certificate he paraded was also flagged. NYSC officials told Premium Times that the document’s serial number and issuance details did not match any record in their database — pointing to outright forgery.
Even more damning, internal documents from UNN showed that at the time Nnaji claimed he was completing NYSC, he was still attempting to re-sit a failed final-year examination at the university — suggesting he had not met the academic requirements to graduate in the first place.
This dual forgery not only undermines the integrity of Nnaji’s appointment but also casts a shadow on the vetting process that led to his inclusion in President Tinubu’s cabinet.
*UNN reacts: “He was never issued any degree certificate”*
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has played a critical role in unravelling the truth.
In multiple correspondences with Premium Times, the university officially denied ever awarding a degree to Nnaji:
> “The name Geoffrey Uche Nnaji does not appear in our graduation records for the 1985 session,” said F. C. Achiuwa, UNN’s Senior Deputy Registrar.
UNN’s clarification came after earlier conflicting statements from the university’s registrar in 2023, who had initially backed Nnaji’s claim. That position has now been fully retracted.
> “There is no indication that the degree certificate being paraded by Mr. Nnaji was issued by the University of Nigeria,” the school emphasized in a follow-up letter dated 6 October 2025.
*A political fallout and a cautionary tale*
While Bayo Onanuga’s statement frames the resignation as orderly and courteous, the timing and background paint a different picture.
The minister’s departure appears to be a direct consequence of the unrelenting scrutiny and evidence-backed exposé published by Premium Times — supported by UNN’s categorical denial and NYSC’s silence.
Nnaji’s fall from grace underscores the continuing need for credible vetting of public officials, especially in an era where public trust in governance is fragile and easily eroded by scandals of this nature.
_(With additional reports from Premium Times)_
