Daily Trust Editorial of Monday October 13, 2025
The recent resignation of the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, following revelations of certificate forgery, has once again exposed the deep institutional rot that continues to undermine Nigeria’s integrity. This is not merely a scandal about one man’s indiscretion; it is a collective failure of the very institutions meant to protect the sanctity of public service, including the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Senate of the Federal Republic. All three owe Nigerians an unreserved public apology.
When the Peoples Gazette, an online platform first contacted the UNN to verify Nnaji’s credentials, the university initially confirmed that he graduated from the institution. But after Premium Times’ deeper probe, UNN made a dramatic U-turn, disowning the Bachelor of Science certificate paraded by the minister. The university authorities clarified that Nnaji did not complete his studies and was never issued any certificate. This inconsistency raises serious questions about the university’s internal processes and the motives behind its first response. Was it a case of incompetence, negligence, or deliberate compromise? Whatever the case, the institution’s contradictory statements not only misled the public but also helped a suspect document pass an initial credibility test.
At this juncture, UNN must come clean. Nigerians deserve to know how and why its official initially validated Nnaji’s academic record only to retract later. Such contradictions feed public suspicion that corruption and influence peddling are rife even within the academic system. The university’s leadership should commission an internal investigation to determine how the misinformation occurred and make its findings public. Nothing short of transparency will restore confidence in its reputation.
The DSS, which screened all ministerial nominees before their confirmation, must also explain how such a glaring forgery escaped its scrutiny. As the country’s foremost domestic intelligence agency, the DSS is empowered, resourced, and expected to conduct thorough background checks on every individual nominated for public office. It has the technical capacity to detect forged certificates and falsified claims within hours. That the agency cleared, probably relying on the first clearance by the UNN, is not just an error, it is a negligence of its vetting process.
It is plausible that the fake certificate Nnaji presented to the DSS was the same one he later brandished publicly, including at the Senate. It would not be the first time. Nigeria’s intelligence service must improve its diligence beyond the whims of politics and connections. Institutions of learning and examination bodies must also help the DSS discharge its responsibilities with ease.
The Senate, too, cannot escape blame. As the constitutional body that confirms presidential nominees, the Senate’s “take a bow and go” or reluctant screening culture has become synonymous with complacency. Senators have turned screening sessions into mere rituals rather than serious exercises in scrutiny. In the Nnaji case, they relied entirely on the DSS report and other supporting documents without independent verification. This lazy practice must stop. The legislature must understand that confirmation is not a ceremonial function but a constitutional responsibility to safeguard the integrity of governance.
Beyond the immediate actors, this scandal is symptomatic of a larger national decay, a culture that rewards deceit and punishes diligence. From some cases since 1999 to the latest embarrassment, Nigeria has repeatedly failed to learn. Each incident reveals how easily forged credentials can slip through multiple layers of supposed verification. The public is left with a compromised system.
It is commendable that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu accepted Nnaji’s resignation. But resignation alone is not enough. The government must set up a panel to investigate how the credentials were forged. All those found culpable must face disciplinary action. Similarly, Nnaji himself should be prosecuted for forgery and deceit, as such acts not only violate the law but erode citizens’ faith in government.
To its credit, Premium Times deserves commendation for its investigative diligence. Without the press, this scandal would have remained buried under official paperwork. The role of the media in upholding public accountability remains indispensable. But journalism cannot replace institutional responsibility. Nigeria must now insist on systemic reforms to prevent similar embarrassments in the future.
The federal government’s recent directive that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including security and paramilitary services, must conduct comprehensive verification of staff credentials through the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD) is a step in the right direction. However, enforcement will determine its success. The NERD policy must not become another bureaucratic slogan but a living digital mechanism that automatically validates every academic claim across institutions.
In the final analysis, the Geoffrey Nnaji scandal is not the failure of one man alone. All the institutions involved in this saga owe Nigerians an apology, and more importantly, a commitment to reform.