Allegations of certificate forgery have trailed Mr. Nnaji since July 2023, when President Bola Tinubu included him in his first list of 28 ministerial nominees. Critics argue that the minister neither completed his studies nor underwent the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, and that the documents he presented to the presidency, the Senate, and security agencies were forged.
UNN’s Official Response
Responding to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request from KogiTribune, the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Professor Simon Ortuanya, stated that although Mr. Nnaji gained admission into the university in 1981, there is no record showing he completed his degree.
“We can confirm that Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981. From all available records, we are unable to confirm that he graduated in July 1985, as he never completed his studies. Consequently, the University DID NOT and COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate,” Professor Ortuanya wrote in the letter dated October 2, 2025.
The latest statement tallies with an earlier letter issued by the university to the Public Complaints Commission in May 2025, also affirming that Mr. Nnaji’s name was missing from the official graduation records of the 1985 session.
Contradictions and Forgery Allegations
In contrast, the institution’s registrar, Celine Nnebedum, had in December 2023 told another newspaper that Mr. Nnaji graduated in 1985. However, she later recanted and confirmed to the Public Complaints Commission in May 2025 that his name was not found on the graduation list.
Investigations further uncovered glaring inconsistencies in both Mr. Nnaji’s NYSC and degree certificates. For instance, his NYSC certificate, dated May 1986, carried the signature of a corps boss who only assumed office in 1988. The document also indicated that Nnaji served for 13 months instead of the statutory 12, and bore an alphanumeric code not introduced until the 1990s.
Similarly, while his degree certificate claimed he graduated in July 1985, his NYSC certificate suggested he began service in April 1985, three months before his supposed graduation — an impossibility under NYSC rules.
Background and Political Fallout
Mr. Nnaji, who was nominated and confirmed as Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in August 2023, has faced growing scrutiny over his academic and professional claims. His alleged forgery has raised serious concerns about the vetting process for ministerial appointments.
Despite repeated attempts, he has yet to respond to KigiTribunes’ enquiries regarding his credentials.
The development has sparked widespread calls for accountability, with legal experts and civic groups stressing the need for President Tinubu’s administration to address the scandal and reaffirm its stance on integrity in governance.
