President Tinubu Accepts Resignation Of Minister Geoffrey Nnaji Amid Forgery Allegations

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, following serious forgery allegations against him. Nnaji, who was appointed to the ministerial role in August 2023, submitted his resignation in a letter on Tuesday, expressing gratitude to the President for the opportunity to serve the country.

The announcement was made in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. In his resignation letter, Nnaji indicated that he had become a target of political blackmail, which influenced his decision to resign.

President Tinubu responded by thanking Nnaji for his service and wishing him well in his future endeavors.

This development comes on the heels of a report by PREMIUM TIMES, which revealed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), had formally disavowed the Bachelor of Science degree certificate that Nnaji claimed to possess. The university confirmed that Nnaji never graduated from their institution and was not issued any such document.

Allegations regarding Nnaji’s academic qualifications had emerged as early as July 2023 when he was included among the first 28 ministerial nominees submitted to the Senate by President Tinubu. Critics voiced concerns that his academic credentials and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) documentation were fraudulent.

In a response to a Freedom of Information request from PREMIUM TIMES, UNN Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon U. Ortuanya confirmed that while Nnaji was admitted in 1981, there is no record of his graduation or completion of studies.

Recent court documents revealed that Nnaji had admitted he never received a degree from UNN. In his legal filings against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and UNN, Nnaji acknowledged that he did not possess a certificate from the university.

In his affidavit, he stated, “Even though I am yet to collect my certificate from the University of Nigeria, due largely to the non-cooperative attitude of the university officials, records confirm I was admitted to study Microbiology/Biochemistry in 1981.” However, he also confessed, “I have never collected any certificate from the university.”

Nnaji’s claims were further complicated by a letter from UNN, which was later invalidated, stating that he had graduated in 1985. In May 2025, the university informed the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) that an exhaustive search of its graduation records revealed no evidence of Nnaji’s graduation.

The unfolding events underscore the significant scrutiny facing Nnaji and raise questions about the integrity of his educational qualifications.