Certificate scandal: How Tinubu ordered ex-minister, Uche Nnaji’s resignation

Nnaji

More details have emerged on the resignation of a former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.

Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that the embattled minister was ordered to resign following allegations of certificate forgery against him.

Nnaji was accused of forging his BSc and National Youth Service Corps certificates.

The former minister claimed to have acquired his degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, in 1985, which the school denied.

Presidential aides told Saturday PUNCH that President Bola Tinubu invited Nnaji to the Villa, where he was directed to resign.

The scandal

Nnaji’s ordeal started when Premium Times published an investigation exposing how he allegedly forged his degree and NYSC certificates, which he submitted to the President and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial screening in 2023.

The online medium insisted that Nnaji did not complete his university education.

Premium Times, in a Freedom of Information request to UNN, asked the university to release Nnaji’s academic records.

In a letter dated October 2, 2025, the university Vice-Chancellor, Prof Simon Ortuanya, told Premium Times that the university did not issue Nnaji’s certificate, as he did not complete his studies.

The ex-minister then approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop UNN from releasing his academic records.

Nnaji, through an ex parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025, asked the court to restrain the university from releasing or tampering with his academic records.