UNN Denies Tinubu’s Minister, Says Not The Institution’s Graduate

By Charles Igbo

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, is, allegedly, carrying fake graduate  Certificate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, and that of the National Youth Service.

The University which the Minister claimed he attended, has denied him and disowned the Certificate he is flaunting.

In a response to the Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by Premium Times,  the Vice Chancellor of the University Professor  Simon Ortuanya, explained that even though Nnaji gained admission into the University to study Biological Sciences, he ended up not graduating from the University. He neither completed his studies in the University nor graduated, he said.

Wrote the Vice Chancellor in response: “We are unable to confirm that Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated. There are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria.”

The VC’s response  reads in full: “We refer to your letter dated 29 September, 2025, in respect of the above subject matter.

“We can confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji,  with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981.

“From every available record and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“Following from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, DID NOT, and consequently, COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate, at all, in July 1985 to Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology. This conclusion is also in consonance with an earlier letter dated May 13, 2025, ref. No. RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission in respect of the same subject matter (copy attached).”

The Vice Chancellor’s response was dated October 2, 2025 and contradicts a December 2023 clarification by  Celine Nnebedum, the University’s Registrar who stated, when doubts were initially raised over  Nnaji’s Certificate, that he graduated in 1985. However, in May 2025, Nnebedum retracted the statement for further verification.

The two-year investigation by Premium Times which stemmed from a tip by a whistle-blower, also cast a serious doubt on the authenticity of the NYSC discharge Certificate presented by the Minister.

Investigations show that the NYSC certificate he presented bore the signature of Animashaun Braimoh who was the Corp’s Director General between 1988 and 1990 while Nnaji’s Certificate bore May 1986 as the issuance date and the title of the person who signed it as National Director instead of Director General.

There are also, allegedly, other discrepancies. For instance, his Certificate of University graduation bears July 1985, but his Service year began in April 1985, three months earlier, and was never recorded in the history of the NYSC.

Investigation from University record, also, showed that the Minister was advised to withdraw over absenteeism and “retakes” which he missed. His name did also not appear in the University’s 1985 official Convocation List.

At the time of filing this report, there has been no response from  Minister Nnaji.

Recall, however, that the Federal Government had, recently, said it would come down hard on academic certificate forgers.