By Austin Manekator
In a dramatic turn of events, Nigeria’s embattled Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, has resigned following weeks of mounting pressure over allegations that his academic and NYSC certificates were forged. His resignation, confirmed on Monday by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, marks the first major cabinet exit under President Bola Tinubu’s administration tied to credential fraud.
Mr. Nnaji tendered his resignation letter on October 7, 2025, thanking the President for the “opportunity to serve Nigeria,” while denying any wrongdoing. He claimed he had become “a target of blackmail and political persecution,” insisting that the documents he submitted were genuine. Nonetheless, the Presidency swiftly accepted his resignation — signaling a quiet but decisive end to a scandal that has shaken public trust in the government’s vetting process.
The controversy erupted after a Premium Times investigation revealed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), had disowned the Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry that Nnaji claimed to have earned in 1985. In an official letter dated October 2, 2025, UNN Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simon Ortuanya confirmed that “the University of Nigeria did not and could not have issued the purported certificate,” adding that no record existed of Nnaji’s graduation that year. A follow-up letter to the Public Complaints Commission in May 2025 repeated the same conclusion.
The investigation also uncovered discrepancies in Nnaji’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate. NYSC officials reportedly told Premium Times that the document could not be authenticated, citing a mismatch in signature, serial numbering, and even a service period that ran 13 months — longer than the statutory one-year program. The certificate also bore the signature of an NYSC director who only assumed office two years after the date printed on the document.
When confronted, Nnaji admitted in court filings that UNN “never issued” him a degree certificate, though he claimed he completed his studies and blamed “non-cooperative officials” for his inability to obtain one. Legal experts have said that such an admission could constitute forgery or misrepresentation under Nigerian law, especially since he relied on the document to gain public office.
His resignation has sparked mixed reactions. Civil society groups and opposition figures hailed it as “a small victory for accountability,” urging President Tinubu to order a full investigation into how Nnaji passed through screening despite obvious red flags. Meanwhile, some political allies insist he was “forced out by media pressure” and that the resignation was a “sacrifice to protect the administration’s image.”
For many Nigerians, the episode underscores a troubling pattern in public life — where questionable credentials and falsified records continue to find their way into high office. As one analyst noted, “Nnaji’s fall is not just about one man’s forgery; it’s about the system that let it slide.”
With his exit now official, the Presidency is expected to name an acting minister in the coming days. But the scandal has already left a deep mark on an administration still battling to project integrity and reform.
