The federal government’s investigative panel says it believes that the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, forged his University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate.
The seven-member panel, set up by Education Minister Tunji Alausa in November 2025, submitted its report in December after reviewing Nnaji’s petition alleging tampering and political manipulation of his academic records.
Led by Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu, the panel visited UNN, interviewed officials including Vice-Chancellor Simon Ortuanya and former Acting Vice-Chancellor Oguejiofor Ujam, and examined Nnaji’s academic files.
Investigators reviewed graduation lists, registry logs, convocation archives, and correspondence between Nnaji and the university.
Panel Confirms Certificate Forgery
The report found that although Nnaji was admitted to study biological sciences in 1981, he failed a virology course and was not listed among graduates in 1985.
Letters between him and the registry confirmed his failure and attempts to retake the exam, but no record showed he completed the course.
The panel questioned how he obtained a certificate dated July 1985, which he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial confirmation.
It was earlier alleged that Nnaji forged both his degree and NYSC certificates.
UNN’s registrar and vice-chancellor confirmed he never graduated, while NYSC authorities disowned the discharge certificate he presented.
Nnaji resigned three days after the report was published in 2023. Calls for his prosecution followed, with legal experts insisting resignation was insufficient given violations of Nigerian law.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has since opened an investigation into the forgery scandal.
It is not clear now if Nnaji could face prosecution based on the report, it the panel stopped shot of accusing of clear falsification of credentials.
Political Permutations to the Saga
Nnaji is not the only high profile politician to have been embroiled in certificate sagas.
In 2018, then Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun was forced to resign on allegation she forged her NYSC certificate. She has vigorously denied any wrongdoing till this day.
Many others have gone unresolved.
But if there is any political permutation to Mr Nnaji’s ordeal, it has not been evidentially proven.
However, Nnaji, of the federal ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was gearing to form a strong, virile opposition to challenge Gov Peter Mbah, then of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for the governorship of the state in the 2027 polls.
With his embarrassing ouster, Nnaji may have been politically checkmated, and Gov Mbah has since ported to the same APC, where he has taken political control of the structures of the party in the state.
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