President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accepted the resignation of Uche Geoffrey Nnaji as Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology amid a swirling certificate forgery scandal. 

In a brief statement, the presidency confirmed that Nnaji submitted his resignation on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, and that it was accepted.  The statement further thanked the minister for his service, though it gave no indication of who might replace him. 

Certificate Forgery Allegations and Resignation

The resignation came just days after a detailed investigation by Premium Times revealed that Nnaji allegedly submitted forged university and NYSC certificates as part of his ministerial confirmation documents.  According to the report, both the degree certificate and the NYSC discharge certificate were not issued by the claimed institutions. 

Facing public pressure and intense media scrutiny, Nnaji said his decision to step down was a “personal choice and not an admission of guilt, but rather a principled decision to respect due process” and preserve integrity in ongoing proceedings.  He denied wrongdoing, claiming he had been the target of a politically motivated campaign of blackmail. 

Earlier, both the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and NYSC publicly disowned a number of the credentials he presented when requested to verify their authenticity.  In response, Nnaji filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to restrain the university from tampering with his records and compel the release of his academic transcripts.  The court has adjourned the case to November 10.  Critics of the former minister have long said he did not complete his university education, and that the documents owed to his confirmation were fraudulent. 

In his resignation statement, Nnaji expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and vowed his continued support for the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”