Group demands probe of Uche Nnaji’s continued drawing of salary despite exit as minister

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging that Uche Nnaji has continued to receive monthly salaries and allowances 10 months after his resignation as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology.

In a statement forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, HEDA, led by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, stated that the petition follows an earlier submission on 17 October 2025 regarding allegations of certificate forgery, perjury, and the presentation of false academic credentials.

Mr Nnaji resigned from his position on 7 October last year, three days after PREMIUM TIMES published an investigation exposing alleged irregularities in the UNN degree and NYSC certificates he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial screening in August 2023.

Following the initial scandal, the ICPC launched an investigation. After Mr Nnaji ignored multiple invitations to be questioned, the agency secured an arrest warrant against him. On 1 July, the former minister was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja upon arrival from Enugu on a chartered flight.

He was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 13 July on six counts of certificate forgery and money laundering. The hearing has been adjourned until 21 September.

In its latest statement, HEDA has urged the ICPC to broaden its probe in light of new findings from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS)—the federal platform designed to centralise public-sector payroll data and reduce financial waste.

According to HEDA’s petition, IPPIS records for June 2026 allegedly list Mr Nnaji under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as ‘Hon Minister’, showing a net payment of ₦170,282.61 for that month. The document reportedly indicated cumulative earnings of ₦5,845,601.13 recorded on the system.

The organisation expressed alarm that a public official who has left office could remain active on the government payroll for several months. “We are concerned that a public official who has left office could allegedly remain active on the government payroll system for several months,” the group stated. “Beyond the individual involved, this raises questions about the accountability of officials responsible for maintaining and supervising government payroll records.”

HEDA has requested that the ICPC investigate the circumstances behind the continued presence of Mr Nnaji’s profile on the IPPIS platform, identify those responsible for approving these disbursements, and initiate the recovery of public funds. Furthermore, the group is calling for additional charges against the former minister, including potential salary fraud, unlawful enrichment, and payroll manipulation.

Prior findings

These allegations follow reports from June, when Peoples Gazette reported that IPPIS records showed Mr Nnawas still receiving ₦1.1 million in monthly salaries. Ministry officials cited in that report indicated that the federal government had allegedly paid the former minister at least ₦12.8 million in monthly allowances since his ouster by President Tinubu. (Premium Times)