Tinubu’s Minister In Degree Certificate Scandal

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate in the possession of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, saying the politician did not complete his studies at the institution and was never issued a certificate.

Allegations of certificate forgery have surrounded Nnaji since July 2023, when President Bola Tinubu named him among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees from 25 states forwarded to the Senate as the president began to form his cabinet, two months after taking office on May 29, 2023.
Nnaji’s critics insist that he did not complete his university education and that both the bachelor’s degree and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate he presented to President Tinubu, as well as the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the State Security Service, and the Nigerian Senate, are counterfeit.

However, in response to a PREMIUM TIMES Freedom of Information request, Simon U. Ortuanya, the vice-chancellor of the University of Nsukka, stated that although Mr Nnaji was admitted to the institution in 1981, he did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree.

“We refer to your letter dated 29 September 2025 in respect of the above subject matter,” Mr Ortuanya, a professor, wrote in his 2 October 2025 letter to this newspaper.

“We can confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981.

“From every available record and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate, or at all, in July 1985 to Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology.

“This conclusion is also in consonance with an earlier letter dated May 13, 2025, ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission in respect of the same subject matter (copy attached).”Mr Ortuanya’s response to PREMIUM TIMES’ enquiry is the high point of this newspaper’s two-year painstaking investigation into Mr Nnaji’s degree and NYSC certificates.
The paper said it first made an FoI request to the university on 1 February 2024, but officials failed to respond to its enquiry despite several reminders and follow-up visits to the institution by its reporter.

During one such visit, a registry staff member compelled the reporter to pay a N15,000 processing fee, which it said was paid but but still received no response to its letter.

On 2 October this year, we decided to courier a reminder to the university, making the same request and attaching a copy of the Bachelor of Science degree that the minister submitted to the Senate during his confirmation hearing on 1 August 2023.

It was the recent letter to the institution that triggered the response from Mr Ortuanya, who was appointed vice chancellor of the university only on 2 August 2025.

The university’s reply to our enquiry contradicts an earlier response to the People’s Gazette newspaper on the matter. On 21 December 2023, Celine Nnebedum, the university registrar, responded to the newspaper’s enquiry, saying Mr Nnaji graduated from the institution in July 1985.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the official has since recanted, telling the Public Complaints Commission in May this year that the university searched its graduation records for the 1985 session but could not find Nnaji’s name on them.