President Tinubu’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uchechukwu “Uche” Nnaji, tendered his resignation on Tuesday after sustained media investigations questioned the authenticity of his academic credentials. In a terse statement, the President’s spokesman confirmed that Mr. Nnaji wrote to thank the President for the opportunity to serve and said he had been the target of “blackmail” by political opponents. The Presidency said it accepted the resignation and wished him well in his future endeavours.
The saga over Geoffrey Uchechukwu “Uche” Nnaji’s academic credentials first ignited in July 2023, shortly after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced his initial cabinet nominees. During his ministerial screening by the Nigerian Senate, Nnaji submitted what he claimed to be a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
These documents were part of the formal requirements for government office, and his résumé indicated he had graduated in 1985. At that time, there were no public objections.
Fast forward to October 2023, when a whistleblower tip and media watchdogs began flagging inconsistencies. Investigative outlets like Premium Times delved into the documents. They discovered that the letters and papers presented by Nnaji contained mismatches with university records, and questions were raised about his NYSC certificate.
Among the oddities: the dates, durations, and even the signatures did not align with official records. Observers noticed the NYSC certificate had a signature from a Director-General who assumed office years after the date shown on Nnaji’s document. These discrepancies began to erode public confidence in the veracity of his credentials.
By May 2025, the pressure mounted. University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) issued a letter to the Public Complaints Commission stating that when it searched its 1985 graduation records, it did not find any record of Nnaji’s name among graduates. The letter effectively retracted earlier confirmations that he had graduated.
At the same time, a letter from his office, dated December 21, 2023, claiming his graduation (Second Class Lower Division) was called into question. Critics, civic groups, and legal experts began demanding detailed investigations and transparency in how the documents were submitted, used, and verified.
Then, in early October 2025, things escalated sharply. On October 2, 2025, Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Simon U. Ortuanya, formally wrote that UNN had no records showing that Nnaji completed his studies; the university therefore did not and could not have issued the certificate he presented.
This letter was a turning point: the university’s official stance changed from confirming to disavowing. On the same date, UNN asserted that Nnaji’s degree certificate is fake. Meanwhile, in court, Nnaji filed a lawsuit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025) against the university and other respondents, seeking among other things to restrain them from tampering with his academic records and to compel UNN to release his transcript. The court case illustrates how the issue is now legal, not just media-driven.
Also in October 2025, Nnaji made a significant admission. He conceded in a court affidavit that the University had never issued him a certificate confirming his degree. He said that although he was admitted in 1981 and claims to have “graduated” in 1985, the certificate was never collected.
He pointed instead to the December 2023 letter from UNN’s registrar signed by Celine Nnebedum, which had seemed to confirm his graduation, but that letter has since been invalidated. University authorities maintain that records show he dropped out and did not fulfill graduation requirements.
The Federal High Court in Abuja presided by Justice Hauwa Yilwa adjourned Nnaji’s suit vs UNN to November 10, 2025, following delays from the university’s lawyers in filing their responses. The court has already dismissed Nnaji’s request for an injunction to stop UNN from releasing his academic records. That ruling means UNN is free to make its records public (or continue its position) while the substantive case proceeds.