Uche Nnaji, Nigeria's Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, has resigned just days after allegations emerged that he had forged his academic credentials.
The resignation follows a newspaper investigation that claimed Nnaji submitted falsified certificates to President Bola Tinubu during his ministerial appointment in 2023.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed Nnaji's resignation in a post on X late on Tuesday, quoting the minister as saying he had been a target of blackmail by political opponents.
Nnaji has denied the accusations of forgery and insisted that he graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) with a degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry.
The forgery allegations have sparked outrage among some Nigerians, following a two-year investigation by the Premium Times newspaper.
Last week, UNN reportedly told the publication that it had no records confirming that the minister had graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1985, as he had claimed. A senior university official told the paper that Nnaji was admitted in 1981 but never completed his studies or received a certificate.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) also stated that the mandatory certificate of national service Nnaji presented in April 2023 could not be verified.
The suspension or removal of a minister is rare in Nigeria; Nnaji is only the second to leave office since President Tinubu assumed power in May 2023. The previous case involved the then Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu, who was suspended following public outrage over a corruption scandal.
During his tenure, Tinubu's predecessor, the late Muhammadu Buhari, only sacked two ministers.
