An investigative panel constituted by the Federal Government has confirmed that the immediate past Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, forged a degree certificate purportedly issued by University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The seven-member panel, set up by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, concluded that the former minister did not graduate from the university despite presenting a certificate dated 1985.
The panel was inaugurated on November 23, 2025, following a petition submitted by Nnaji to the education minister. In the petition dated October 14, 2025, the former minister accused officials of the university of unethical disclosure, document tampering, and political manipulation of his academic records.
Nnaji specifically alleged that the Vice-Chancellor of UNN, Simon Ortuanya, and a former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oguejiofor Ujam, had issued forged or unauthorised correspondence, improperly accessed his academic file, and enabled media reports that misrepresented his academic history.
However, the investigative panel, led by the Director of the University Education Department in the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu, reached a different conclusion after submitting its report to the minister in December 2025.
According to the report, the panel adopted several investigative methods, including documentary review, interviews, verification exercises and a technical audit.
As part of the probe, members of the panel visited the university and interacted with key officials, including the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar. They also examined academic records and internal correspondence relating to Nnaji’s time at the institution.
The investigators said they reviewed the Senate-approved graduation list for 1985 and examined the personal student file of the former minister. Their findings revealed that Nnaji’s name was not listed among those who graduated in that year.
The panel further scrutinised correspondence exchanged between Nnaji and the university registry between November 1985 and May 1986 regarding a failed course — Virology (MCB 431).
In one of the handwritten letters dated May 19, 1986, Nnaji reportedly applied to retake the failed course, explaining that he was unable to sit for the earlier examination due to ill health.
However, the panel said it could not find any record indicating that the former minister subsequently passed the course.
This discovery raised questions about how Nnaji obtained the certificate of graduation dated July 1985, which he later presented to Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his ministerial appointment and also submitted to the National Assembly of Nigeria for confirmation.
The panel’s findings corroborate an earlier investigation by Premium Times, which reported that although Nnaji gained admission into UNN in the 1981/82 academic session to study Biological Sciences, he did not graduate after failing a compulsory course.
Uche Nnaji
The report also revealed that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) disowned the discharge certificate presented by the former minister.
Nnaji resigned from his ministerial position three days after the investigative report was published.
Following the development, several Nigerians demanded his prosecution, arguing that resignation alone was not sufficient given the alleged breach of the law.
A legal practitioner, Liborous Oshoma, criticised the government for failing to prosecute the former minister, insisting that individuals involved in certificate forgery should face the full weight of the law and be barred from holding public office.
Meanwhile, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reportedly commenced an investigation into the alleged forgery and may proceed with prosecution if the claims are substantiated.
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