Former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, has taken legal action against the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the National Universities Commission (NUC) over allegations of certificate forgery.
Nnaji filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, also listing the Minister of Education, UNN Vice Chancellor Prof. Simon Ortuanya, and other parties as defendants. The case, which centers on his disputed academic records, is scheduled for further hearing on November 10.
The former minister, in a statement on Tuesday, maintained his innocence and said the matter is now before the court. “My decision to step aside is not an admission of guilt but a principled choice to respect due process and preserve the integrity of judicial proceedings,” he said.
He described the allegations as part of “an orchestrated and politically motivated campaign of falsehood” that has caused personal distress and disrupted his work in the ministry. Nnaji added that he has spent over five decades building a reputation for integrity and would not allow misinformation to damage his record of public service.
The controversy arose after reports claimed UNN had disowned the Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology that Nnaji presented during his ministerial screening in 2023. The university stated in a letter dated October 2, 2025, that Nnaji did not complete his studies and, therefore, could not have been issued the said certificate.
According to the university, “From every available record, Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji did not graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in July 1985, and the institution did not issue the purported certificate.”
The latest position by UNN contradicts an earlier 2023 statement by the university’s Registrar, Celine Nnebedum, who confirmed Nnaji’s graduation — a claim the school has since withdrawn.
Before his resignation, Nnaji was recognized for driving Nigeria’s innovation agenda and encouraging patent holders to commercialize their inventions. He also stirred debate earlier in the year over a proposed restriction on solar panel imports.
The court is expected to determine the authenticity of Nnaji’s degree and address the conflicting statements issued by the university in the ongoing forgery scandal.
