President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, following the certificate forgery allegations leveled against him.
Nnaji, who was appointed in August 2023, announced his resignation on Tuesday in a letter to the President, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve the nation.
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The minister explained that his decision to step down was influenced by a sustained campaign of political blackmail and misinformation allegedly orchestrated by his opponents.
The development marks another shake-up within the Federal Executive Council as the Tinubu administration continues to navigate internal and external political pressures.
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Certificate Forgery Allegation
Nnaji’s resignation follows weeks of controversy surrounding his academic qualifications, after reports emerged that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), disowned the degree certificate he presented during his ministerial screening.
According to documents obtained by several media outlets, UNN stated that while Nnaji was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry, there were no records showing that he completed the programme or graduated in July 1985 as claimed. The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon U. Ortuanya, reportedly confirmed in a letter dated early October 2025 that the certificate being paraded by Nnaji did not originate from the institution.
Further investigations by civil society groups and the media revealed discrepancies in his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, including incorrect serial numbering and inconsistencies in the service duration.
Nnaji, however, denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as politically motivated. In a verifying affidavit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, he admitted that while he had not collected his original degree certificate from UNN, he had successfully completed the programme in 1985.
He accused the university of frustrating his efforts to obtain his transcript and other academic documents, and sought a court order compelling UNN to release the records and restrain it from further disputing his credentials.
President Tinubu, in accepting the resignation, thanked Nnaji for his service and wished him well in his future endeavours, according to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
The Presidency did not immediately name a replacement for the Innovation, Science, and Technology portfolio.
