The legal battle surrounding allegations of certificate forgery involving Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, has hit a snag, as a suit he filed against the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and other bodies remains stalled.
Since his screening before the Senate in August 2023, Nnaji has faced persistent allegations that he presented a Bachelor of Science degree from UNN and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate that are not authentic.
The allegations intensified following a two-year investigation by Premium Times, which concluded that both his university certificate and NYSC certificate are “outright forgeries.”
UNN has officially declared that Nnaji did not complete his studies and never received a degree certificate from the institution.
The NYSC also reportedly disowned the discharge certificate presented by the minister, stating it could not authenticate it.
Nnaji filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025 at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Defendants include UNN, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Vice Chancellor and Registrar of UNN, and others.
In his affidavit, Nnaji admits that although he was admitted to UNN in 1981 to study Biochemistry and Microbiology and claimed to have “graduated” in 1985, he has never collected any degree certificate from UNN.
Among the prayers in his motion are requests to restrain UNN and its officials from “tampering” with his academic records, a demand for the release of his academic transcript, and to compel relevant authorities to ensure compliance.
On September 22, 2025, Justice Hausa Yilwa granted some of Nnaji’s requested reliefs (specifically, the ones about recognizing his interest in the matter and compelling the transcript release) but declined to grant any injunction that would stop UNN from releasing his records publicly.
The court held that while Nnaji has a legitimate interest in the case, the relief he sought to prevent the university from carrying out its duties could not be sustained.
The case has been adjourned; further hearing was scheduled for October 6, 2025.
The stalling reflects growing tension over credential verification for public officials. Critics say this case underscores the need for stronger institutional checks, especially for ministerial appointments.
Legal experts have pointed out that the admission by Nnaji — that UNN never issued him a certificate — is in itself a serious development that could have constitutional and legal ramifications.
Public and media interest remain high, as many demand transparency and accountability over how and why the forged documents were accepted during the screening process.
