Tinubu’s Minister In Degree Certificate Scandal

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has disowned the Bachelor of Science grade certificate successful the possession of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, saying the person did not implicit his studies astatine the instauration and was ne'er issued a certificate.

Allegations of certificate forgery person surrounded Nnaji since July 2023, erstwhile President Bola Tinubu named him among the archetypal batch of 28 ministerial nominees from 25 states forwarded to the Senate arsenic the president began to signifier his cabinet, 2 months aft taking bureau connected May 29, 2023.
Nnaji’s critics importune that helium did not implicit his assemblage acquisition and that some the bachelor’s grade and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate helium presented to President Tinubu, arsenic good arsenic the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the State Security Service, and the Nigerian Senate, are counterfeit.

However, successful effect to a PREMIUM TIMES Freedom of Information request, Simon U. Ortuanya, the vice-chancellor of the University of Nsukka, stated that though Mr Nnaji was admitted to the instauration successful 1981, helium did not implicit his studies and was ne'er awarded a degree.

“We notation to your missive dated 29 September 2025 successful respect of the supra taxable matter,” Mr Ortuanya, a professor, wrote successful his 2 October 2025 missive to this newspaper.

“We tin corroborate that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka successful 1981.

“From each disposable grounds and accusation from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are incapable to corroborate that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the existent Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria successful July 1985, arsenic determination are nary records of his completion of survey successful the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT person issued the purported certificate, oregon astatine all, successful July 1985 to Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the existent Minister of Science and Technology.

“This decision is besides successful consonance with an earlier missive dated May 13, 2025, ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission successful respect of the aforesaid taxable substance (copy attached).”Mr Ortuanya’s effect to PREMIUM TIMES’ enquiry is the precocious constituent of this newspaper’s two-year painstaking probe into Mr Nnaji’s grade and NYSC certificates.
The insubstantial said it archetypal made an FoI petition to the assemblage connected 1 February 2024, but officials failed to respond to its enquiry contempt respective reminders and follow-up visits to the instauration by its reporter.

During 1 specified visit, a registry unit subordinate compelled the newsman to wage a N15,000 processing fee, which it said was paid but but inactive received nary effect to its letter.

On 2 October this year, we decided to courier a reminder to the university, making the aforesaid petition and attaching a transcript of the Bachelor of Science grade that the curate submitted to the Senate during his confirmation proceeding connected 1 August 2023.

It was the caller missive to the instauration that triggered the effect from Mr Ortuanya, who was appointed vice chancellor of the assemblage lone connected 2 August 2025.

The university’s reply to our enquiry contradicts an earlier effect to the People’s Gazette paper connected the matter. On 21 December 2023, Celine Nnebedum, the assemblage registrar, responded to the newspaper’s enquiry, saying Mr Nnaji graduated from the instauration successful July 1985.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the authoritative has since recanted, telling the Public Complaints Commission successful May this twelvemonth that the assemblage searched its graduation records for the 1985 league but could not find Nnaji’s name on them.