Tinubu’s minister admits UNN never issued him degree certificate

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, has admitted that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) did not issue him a degree certificate confirming part of the findings from a recent investigation by PREMIUM TIMES.

The investigation had earlier exposed inconsistencies in the academic credentials submitted by Nnaji to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial screening process. According to the report, the certificate he presented was not recognized or issued by the university.

Since July 2023, when his name appeared among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees sent to the Senate by President Tinubu, Nnaji has faced persistent allegations of certificate forgery.

Critics alleged that the minister neither completed his university education nor legitimately obtained the Bachelor’s degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate he presented to authorities.

In a suit before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Mr. Nnaji admitted that UNN never issued him a certificate.

The case, which lists the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, its Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simon Ortuanya, Registrar, and others as defendants, seeks to restrain the university from “tampering” with his academic records and to compel it to release his transcript.

In his 34-paragraph verifying affidavit, Mr. Nnaji stated that he was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry and “graduated” in 1985 — but acknowledged that he had not collected any certificate from the university.

He accused UNN officials of being “non-cooperative” and referred to a letter dated December 21, 2023, which appeared to confirm his graduation. That letter, signed by UNN Registrar Celine Nnebedum and sent to People’s Gazette, has since been disowned by the university.

In a follow-up letter to the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) in May 2025, Mrs. Nnebedum retracted her earlier confirmation, saying UNN’s 1985 graduation records did not contain Mr. Nnaji’s name.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ortuanya also confirmed in a October 3, 2025 letter to PREMIUM TIMES that the minister never completed his studies and was not awarded any degree by UNN.

“The truth of the matter is that he never graduated from here. His file is intact and shows he dropped out.”

Despite multiple attempts, Mr. Nnaji declined to comment.

PREMIUM TIMES said a detailed enquiry sent to him on January 8, 2024, acknowledged by his office on January 18, went unanswered, as did subsequent calls, messages, and emails.

During his ministerial screening on August 1, 2023, Mr. Nnaji submitted a 10-page profile document to the Senate, accompanied by copies of his supposed UNN degree and NYSC certificate.

On page three of the profile, he claimed to have earned a combined degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology from UNN but did not state a graduation year.

He also claimed to have served with the University of Jos Teaching Hospital in 1985 and later worked with Jos International Breweries in 1986 during NYSC.

However, with his recent admission that UNN never issued him any degree, serious questions remain: Where did the minister obtain the degree certificate he presented? And how did he qualify for NYSC without a university degree?

Justice Yilwa’s court granted some of the minister’s requests in September 2025 but declined to issue any injunctive order against UNN. The case resumes Monday, October 6, 2025, for further hearing.

(PremiumTimes)