The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has officially disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate purportedly held by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, declaring that the politician did not complete his studies at the institution and was never awarded the degree.
The controversy surrounding Mr. Nnaji’s academic credentials erupted soon after President Bola Tinubu nominated him as minister in July 2023, two months into his administration. Critics have since alleged that both Mr. Nnaji’s bachelor’s degree and his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate are forged, challenging the legitimacy of his qualifications submitted during Senate confirmation.
In response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from PREMIUM TIMES, Professor Simon U. Ortuanya, the Vice-Chancellor of UNN, confirmed that while Mr. Nnaji was admitted in 1981 to study biological sciences, university records show he did not graduate in July 1985 or any other period. “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, Nsukka,” the Vice-Chancellor wrote in a letter dated October 2, 2025.
This revelation contradicts an earlier statement from December 2023 by Celine Nnebedum, the university registrar, who initially claimed Mr. Nnaji graduated in 1985. However, she later recanted in May 2025 after a thorough records search failed to find his name among graduates.
The PREMIUM TIMES investigation, which began in October 2023 after a whistleblower tipped the media on possible falsification, corroborates the university’s findings. The two-year probe included detailed forensic analyses and interviews with officials from both UNN and the NYSC.
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A forensic review of Mr. Nnaji’s NYSC certificate raised immediate red flags. The certificate bears the signature of Animashaun Braimoh, who served as NYSC Director General from 1988 to 1990—two years after the certificate’s stated issuance date of May 1986. Moreover, the certificate uses the title “National Director,” a designation not adopted by the NYSC until the 1990s; at the time of the certificate’s date, the head of NYSC was titled “Director.”
The NYSC itself, after a formal inquiry, confirmed it has no record of Mr. Nnaji’s certificate and is unable to authenticate it.
Further discrepancies include the service period on the NYSC certificate—stated as 13 months from April 1985 to May 1986—contradicting the statutory 12-month service requirement. A review of over 50 NYSC certificates from that era revealed none showing more than 12 months of service.
The investigation also highlighted inconsistencies between Mr. Nnaji’s purported graduation date and the commencement of his NYSC service. According to his degree certificate, he graduated in July 1985. Yet, his NYSC service allegedly started three months earlier in April 1985, a timeline unheard of in the NYSC’s 52-year history.
On the academic front, PREMIUM TIMES reporters uncovered that Mr. Nnaji repeatedly failed critical courses, including Virology (MCB 431AB), and was advised by the university to withdraw due to absenteeism and non-completion of retakes. His name is absent from the official 1985 convocation list of graduates.
Despite several attempts to seek Mr. Nnaji’s response—including an official letter sent on January 8, 2024, and multiple phone calls and emails—he has not replied or commented on the allegations.
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