Abuja, Nigeria – October 7, 2025:
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, following mounting allegations of certificate forgery tied to his academic records at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the President accepted Nnaji’s resignation “with immediate effect.”
“President Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji following certain allegations against him. The President thanks him for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavours,” Onanuga said in a post on X.
In his resignation letter, Nnaji thanked President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and claimed that he had become a target of blackmail from political opponents.
He was appointed as Minister in August 2023 and had been overseeing innovation and technology development before the controversy emerged.
The scandal erupted after investigative reports revealed inconsistencies in Nnaji’s academic records.
Documents obtained by Premium Times and Vanguard indicated that while Nnaji claimed to have graduated from UNN in July 1985, university records show he was asked to re-sit certain courses, including MCB 431AB (Virology), which he allegedly failed.
A letter dated November 8, 1985, from the UNN Registrar reportedly stated that Nnaji had not fulfilled all graduation requirements.
UNN has since clarified that it has no record of issuing Nnaji any degree certificate, contradicting his earlier claims.
The Minister, in response, accused the institution of withholding his transcript for political reasons and has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025) seeking an order to compel UNN to release his academic records. The case is scheduled for hearing on November 10, 2025.
Opposition parties, led by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have called for a full-scale review of academic qualifications of all current cabinet members, citing the scandal as evidence of weak vetting in government appointments.
Civil society organizations have also urged anti-corruption agencies to investigate the forgery allegations to their logical conclusion, insisting that resignation alone does not clear the minister of wrongdoing.
While confirming the resignation, the Presidency said it would not comment further until the court delivers its verdict.
Meanwhile, sources indicate that President Tinubu is expected to announce a replacement for the ministry in the coming days.
Geoffrey Nnaji, a former Enugu State Commissioner and longtime public servant, joined the Tinubu administration with a promise to boost Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem. His sudden exit marks the first ministerial resignation in the current cabinet linked to an integrity-related controversy.
