Federal Government’s investigation has confirmed that former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, forged his degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), MUK TV has learned.
The revelation came after a seven-member investigative panel set up by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, completed a comprehensive probe into the controversy surrounding the former minister’s academic credentials.
The panel was constituted on November 23, 2025, following a petition by Mr Nnaji after PREMIUM TIMES published a two-year investigation in October 2025 alleging that he forged both his UNN degree certificate and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
The committee submitted its report to the education minister in December 2025.
In a petition dated October 14, 2025, Mr Nnaji accused top officials of the University of Nigeria of manipulating his academic records and leaking false information about him.
He specifically accused the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, and former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oguejiofor Ujam, of “issuing forged or unauthorised correspondence, improperly accessing his academic file, and facilitating media publications that misrepresented his academic history.”
The panel was chaired by Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu, Director of the University Education Department in the Ministry of Education, while James Ocheido served as secretary.
Other members included Ejeh A. U, Director of Polytechnics and Allied Institutions; U. C. Uba of the Colleges of Education Department; Mohammed Ayuba representing the National Universities Commission (NUC); Yusuf Saeed of the Human Resources Unit; and Foluso Akinlonu from the Legal Services Unit.
The panel said it relied on “documentary review, interviews, verification, and technical audit as its methodological approach.”
Investigators visited UNN in Nsukka, where they met with key officials and reviewed several academic documents tied to Mr Nnaji.
Those interviewed included the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ortuanya; former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ujam; Registrar, Celine Nnebedum; records officers and other university staff responsible for academic documentation.
The panel also examined Mr Nnaji’s academic files, registry movement logs, Senate-approved graduation lists, convocation archives and internal correspondence.
“The members of the panel arrived (UNN) in Nsukka on Sunday, 23rd November 2025. On Monday, 24th November, the panel paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Simon Ortuanya and informed him of the purpose of the visit and proceeded to the venue the university provided for the panel to use,” the report stated.
According to the findings, Mr Nnaji was admitted to study Biological Sciences at UNN during the 1981/82 academic session but failed to graduate after failing a compulsory course — Virology (MCB 431AB).
A review of the Senate-approved graduation list for 1985 revealed that his name was not among those cleared to graduate that year.
Investigators also uncovered several letters exchanged between Mr Nnaji and the university’s Registry Department between November 1985 and May 1986 concerning the failed course.
In one handwritten letter dated May 19, 1986 titled “Application to take course, 431AB in September,” Mr Nnaji reportedly said he missed an earlier exam due to illness and attached a medical report.
However, investigators found no record showing that he later retook the course.
“The panel was unable to find any record of him (Nnaji) having taken the failed course,” the report further read.
The panel therefore questioned how Mr Nnaji came into possession of a “purported certificate of graduation” dated July 1985, which he later submitted to President Bola Tinubu for ministerial appointment and to the Senate for confirmation.
The panel’s findings strongly reinforce the earlier PREMIUM TIMES investigation which exposed the alleged certificate fraud.
The university had earlier confirmed that although Mr Nnaji was admitted in 1981, he neither graduated nor received a degree certificate from the institution.
The NYSC also disowned the discharge certificate the former minister submitted during his ministerial confirmation process in 2023.
Following the explosive revelations, Mr Nnaji resigned from his position just three days after the investigation was published.
Calls for prosecution grow
Despite his resignation, calls have intensified for the former minister to face prosecution.
Legal practitioner Liborous Oshoma recently criticised the federal government for failing to take action against him.
He argued that people involved in such acts “should be prosecuted and banned from holding public office to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Meanwhile, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reportedly opened a fresh investigation into the scandal.
Sources say Mr Nnaji could face prosecution if investigators establish that the credentials he submitted for public office were indeed forged.
More details to come…
