ABUJA: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, following allegations that his degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was forged.
The development was announced on Tuesday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Nnaji, who was appointed in August 2023, tendered his resignation in a letter addressed to the President, thanking him for the opportunity to serve and claiming he was a victim of political blackmail.
President Tinubu reportedly commended the former minister for his service and wished him success in future endeavours.
The resignation follows a PREMIUM TIMES report revealing that the University of Nigeria had formally disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate being paraded by Nnaji. The institution stated that Nnaji never graduated and was never issued such a document.
According to the report, the controversy traces back to July 2023, when critics questioned the authenticity of Nnaji’s academic and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) credentials after his ministerial nomination.
In response to a Freedom of Information request, UNN Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon U. Ortuanya, confirmed that although Nnaji was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry, there was no record that he completed his studies or graduated from the university.
Court documents later obtained by the newspaper revealed that Nnaji himself admitted that UNN never issued him a certificate.
In an affidavit filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Nnaji stated that although he completed his coursework in 1985, he had never collected any certificate from the institution.
He also referenced a letter allegedly issued by UNN in December 2023 to People’s Gazette, which claimed he graduated with a Second Class (Lower Division) degree. The letter, signed by UNN Registrar Celine Nnebedum, has since been declared invalid by the university.
Further correspondence from Mrs. Nnebedum to the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) in May 2025 confirmed that a review of the 1985 graduation records showed no trace of Nnaji’s name.
The scandal adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding public officials’ academic credentials, reigniting debate about integrity and transparency in public service appointments.
