Politics
Nwabueze dismisses ‘fake’ agency claim, produces alleged OSGF
THE National coordinator of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, Nwabueze Buchi George, has dismissed allegations that he operated a fake government agency under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The acclaimed coordinator, in a post on his LinkedIn page on Saturday, August 23, George shared a letter dated October 3, 2025, purportedly issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) with reference number OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205.
The ICIR reports that he released the letter hours after Tinubu ordered his arrest.
Tinubu’s directive followed the revelation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that the alleged fake office operated within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF)
George’s response also comes as the ICPC continues its investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), which has already led to the discovery of three other entities the anti-graft commission described as fictitious.
Two of those bodies – the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership (FIPA-PPP) – were disclosed by the ICPC on August 6.
The Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office was discovered later during the same investigation, a,ccording to the ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu, who told State House correspondents on Friday, August 21, after briefing Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
George produces appointment letter
In a post on his LinkedIn page on Saturday, Nwabueze published an appointment letter with reference number OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205.
The letter, titled “Appointment as National Coordinator and Executive Director Made in Nigeria Project Office”, allegedly bears the OSGF letterhead and was signed by Nadungu Gagare, identified as permanent secretary in the Political and Economic Affairs Office.
According to the document, the OSGF approved Nwabueze’s appointment as National Coordinator and Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office.
It stated that the appointment was for five years, beginning from July 2025, and renewable.
The letter assigned him responsibility for supervising programmes, projects and policies of the office, including regional and state coordinators.
It also authorised him to organise exhibitions, trade expos, economic summits and other promotional activities intended to promote indigenous products and services.
Of particular significance, the document said the project would use “the temporary Office Space at Room B53, Ground Floor, within the OSGF Complex”.
The letter also said the appointment was made “at the pleasure of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation” and was in line with the objectives of the Made-in-Nigeria initiative under the Renewed Hope agenda.
Tinubu orders George’s arrest
The ICIR reports that on Friday, August 21, the ICPC Chairman informed State House correspondents about the discovery of the ‘fake’ office.
Aliyu said the office had allegedly been allocated space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation. He identified George as the promoter of the office and alleged that the operation involved suspected collaborators within the OSGF.
Following the briefing, Tinubu ordered George’s immediate arrest.
The president also ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries – M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
Gagare’s name appears on the appointment letter released by George as the official who signed the document.
Two other agencies emerged from PFIPC probe
The Made-in-Nigeria office is one of the entities the ICPC said it uncovered while investigating the PFIPC.
On August 6, the commission announced that its interim investigation had identified two other fictitious bodies allegedly created by Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, who presented himself as the director-general of the PFIPC.
The bodies were the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.
The ICPC Chairman said the investigation established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the PFIPC had no legal existence.
He also said an appointment letter produced by Adeyemi was forged and did not originate from the Presidency.
According to the commission, forged legislative instruments, presented as enabling laws, were allegedly used to create the two additional bodies and open bank accounts.
The ICPC said the fake PFIPC also unlawfully appropriated the offices and operational instruments of the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council, PEAC, to create the appearance of a legitimate federal institution.
The commission, however, said it found no evidence that federal government funds had been approved or disbursed to the PFIPC or the former PEAC.
The ICPC said officials from the OSGF, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Budget Office of the Federation and the National Information Technology Development Agency were among those whose actions or omissions may have facilitated the operation.
PFIPC scandal exposed more ‘fake agencies’
The ICIR reports that the discoveries began with the PFIPC controversy. Adeyemi had presented himself as the director-general of the council and linked the organisation to senior government officials, including Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President.
Gbajabiamila subsequently denied knowledge of the appointment and said the PFIPC did not exist under the Tinubu administration.
The controversy deepened when it emerged that about N1.302 billion had been provided for the PFIPC in the 2026 Appropriation Act, despite the Presidency’s position that the organisation did not exist.
Adeyemi also made allegations against Gbajabiamila over his purported appointment, noting that Gbajabiamila had demanded bribes running into millions of naira from him.
The controversy ultimately prompted Tinubu to direct the ICPC on July 7 to investigate the PFIPC and establish how an organisation that allegedly lacked legal backing was able to operate within government structures.
The president’s directive set in motion the investigation that later led the ICPC to identify two additional alleged fictitious agencies and, subsequently, the Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office.