The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has confirmed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) never issued him a degree certificate.
This admission came to light through court filings in Abuja, following a two-year investigation carried out by another online news agency – The Premium Times – that allegedly exposed discrepancies in the credentials he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial screening.
Mr Nnaji’s case adds to a growing list of certificate-related scandals that have tainted Nigeria’s public service.
Accusations of forgery have trailed Mr Nnaji since July 2023, when President Tinubu named him among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees.
Critics alleged that he never completed his university education and that both his bachelor’s degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate were forged.
For months, the minister kept silent on the issue. But his own court documents have now confirmed that UNN never issued him any certificate, deepening suspicion over how he obtained the credentials he presented to Nigerian authorities.
Minister’s Court Admission
In a suit before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Mr Nnaji sued the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and UNN officials, seeking an order to stop them from “tampering” with his academic records.
He also asked the court to compel UNN to release his academic transcript and requested an injunction to prevent the university from making his records public.
Justice Yilwa granted parts of his request but declined to issue an injunction. The case was adjourned to October 6 for further hearing.
However, in his supporting affidavit, Mr Nnaji made a shocking disclosure. He said UNN admitted him in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry and that he “graduated” in 1985 — yet admitted he had not collected his certificate.
In his words, “Even though I am yet to collect my certificate from the University of Nigeria due to the non-cooperative attitude of its officials…”
He referred to a 2023 letter from UNN’s Registrar, Celine Nnebedum, to People’s Gazette, which claimed that he graduated in 1985 with a Second Class (Lower Division).
UNN Recants, Says Nnaji Never Graduated
That letter was later disowned. In a follow-up communication to the Public Complaints Commission in May 2025, Registrar Nnebedum retracted her earlier statement, saying the university could not find Nnaji’s name among its 1985 graduates.
UNN’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, confirmed in a letter dated October 3, 2025, that “Mr Uche Nnaji did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree by the University of Nigeria.”
A senior university official told Premium Times: “His file is intact. It shows exactly where he stopped. The truth is, he never graduated.”
The source added that the earlier letter validating his degree may have been influenced or mistakenly issued.
How Did He Obtain the Certificate?
Mr Nnaji’s admission raises a troubling question: if UNN never issued him a certificate, how did he obtain the one he submitted to President Bola Tinubu, the Senate, and other government offices?
In his ministerial screening documents, Nnaji presented a 10-page profile describing himself as “a visionary industrialist, oil and gas expert, healthcare practitioner, and pro-democracy activist.”
He claimed to have earned a degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology from UNN but did not specify the year of graduation. He also claimed NYSC service in 1985 at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital and in 1986 at Jos International Breweries.
Attached to the document were copies of his WAEC certificate, tax clearance, supposed UNN degree, and NYSC certificate — both now under scrutiny.
Civil Society Calls for Resignation
As pressure mounts, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have urged Nnaji to resign from the Federal Executive Council.
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, leader of the CSOs, told Leadership newspaper that integrity must not be sacrificed for political loyalty.
He said, “If you lie about your certificate, and it is exposed, you should resign and apologise to the nation. What kind of leadership are you providing if you’re found in a fraudulent situation?”
Rafsanjani insisted that President Tinubu cannot look away while such scandals undermine public trust in governance.
“The president cannot sit down and watch people who promote lies, deception, and manipulation in the name of loyalty,” he said.
He also compared Nnaji’s case to other recent certificate controversies involving public officials, arguing that “ethical standards must not be negotiable in public service.”
Clamour for His Resignation
The revelation has triggered calls for accountability within the ruling party. Some political say the minister’s continued silence worsens suspicion and damages the administration’s credibility.
Some wonder if President Tinubu will act against one of his early and performing appointees? Or will this, like many past scandals, quietly fade from public attention?
Either way, the case has revived the vexatious issue of falsified academic qualifications — a stain that refuses to fade from its political class.
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