Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has admitted that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), never issued him a degree certificate, validating PREMIUM TIMES’ two-year investigation which found that he submitted forged credentials during his ministerial confirmation.
In a court filing, Mr Nnaji disclosed for the first time that UNN never awarded him a degree. The revelation came as part of a suit he filed against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, its Registrar, Celine Nnebedum, a former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oguenjiofor Ujam, and the University Senate.
In the suit, which is before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Nnaji sought prerogative orders to prevent the university from “tampering with” his academic records and to compel the institution to release his academic transcript. He also requested an interim injunction to restrain UNN and its officials from interference pending the outcome of the case.
However, in paragraphs 12 and 13 of his 34-paragraph verifying affidavit, Mr Nnaji admitted the explosive detail:
“That even though I am yet to collect my certificate from the 3rd Defendant (UNN), due largely to the non-cooperative attitude of the 3rd–5th Defendants (UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar), the 3rd Defendant issued a letter dated 21st December 2023 to People’s Gazette (attention: Samuel Ogundipe) which stated amongst other things as follows:
‘This is to confirm that Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Hons.) Lower Division.’”
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The letter, signed by UNN Registrar Celine Nnebedum, has since been invalidated. UNN later confirmed that Mr Nnaji did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree, with Vice-Chancellor Simon Ortuanya stating in a letter to PREMIUM TIMES that the minister “never graduated from here. His file is intact. It contains details up to the point where he dropped out.”
Mr Nnaji’s admission effectively confirms that the degree and NYSC certificates he presented to President Bola Tinubu, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the State Security Service (SSS), and the Nigerian Senate were forged.
The minister had submitted at least 109 copies of a 10-page profile document to the Senate ahead of his ministerial screening on 1 August 2023, claiming he earned a combined degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology from UNN and completed his NYSC in 1985–1986. PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation confirmed that both the degree and NYSC certificates were fraudulent.
Despite repeated efforts to obtain his comments, Mr Nnaji has declined to respond to PREMIUM TIMES’ enquiries, including a detailed written request submitted on 8 January 2024 and acknowledged by his office on 18 January 2024.
The minister’s admission raises critical questions about how he obtained the forged degree and NYSC documents, and how he presented them to federal authorities.
