University Disowns Tinubu Minister’s Degree Certificate

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has reportedly disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate in the possession of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Uche Nnaji.

According to a report by Premium Times, the university claimed the politician did not complete his studies at the institution and was never issued a certificate.

Allegations of certificate forgery have surrounded Mr Nnaji since July 2023, when President Bola Tinubu named him among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees from 25 states forwarded to the Senate as Mr Tinubu began to form his cabinet, two months after taking office on May 29, 2023.

Mr Nnaji’s critics insist that he did not complete his university education and that both the bachelor’s degree and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate he presented to President Tinubu, as well as the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the State Security Service, and the Nigerian Senate, are counterfeit .

However, in response to a PREMIUM TIMES Freedom of Information request, Simon U. Ortuanya, the vice-chancellor of the University of Nsukka, stated that although Mr Nnaji was admitted to the institution in 1981, he did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree.

“We refer to your letter dated 29 September 2025 in respect of the above subject matter,” Mr Ortuanya, a professor, wrote in his 2 October 2025 letter to this newspaper.

“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.

“Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate, or 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).”

According to Premium Time, Mr Ortuanya’s response was the high point of this newspaper’s two-year painstaking investigation into Mr Nnaji’s degree and NYSC certificates.

The news platform stated that it first made an FoI request to the university on 1 February 2024. But officials failed to respond to our enquiry despite several reminders and follow-up visits to the institution by our reporter. During one such visit, a registry staff member compelled our reporter to pay a N15,000 processing fee. We did, but still received no response to our letter.

“On 2 October this year, we decided to courier a reminder to the university, making the same request and attaching a copy of the Bachelor of Science degree the minister submitted to the Senate during his confirmation hearing on 1 August 2023.

“It was the recent letter to the institution that triggered the response from Mr Ortuanya, who was appointed vice chancellor of the university only on 2 August 2025.

“The university’s reply to our enquiry contradicts an earlier response to the People’s Gazette newspaper on the matter. On 21 December 2023, Celine Nnebedum, the university registrar, responded to the newspaper’s enquiry, saying Mr Nnaji graduated from the institution in July 1985.

“The official has since recanted, telling the Public Complaints Commission in May this year that the university searched its graduation records for the 1985 session but could not find Mr Nnaji’s name on them.

“However, the latest information provided by Mr Ortuanya and Mrs Nnebedum to us and the Public Complaints Commission, respectively, aligns with the findings of our two-year investigation on the matter,” the report stated.

Credit: Premium Time