Fake Agency Boss Challenges ICPC, Produces OSGF Appointment Letter

The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, George Nwabueze has rejected allegations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that he was running a fake government agency.

Nwabueze said the office was not an illegal outfit but a project office operating under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He made the clarification while speaking with PUNCH on Saturday.

He also released documents which he said showed that his appointment and the activities of the project had official backing from the OSGF.

The development followed an announcement by the ICPC that President Bola Tinubu had ordered Nwabueze’s arrest over the alleged operation of the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.

The commission had described the outfit as a fake federal agency operating from office space within the OSGF premises without presidential approval.

But Nwabueze has challenged that position.

He said the project had been associated with the OSGF for years and questioned how it could suddenly be described as a fake agency.

“Made in Nigeria Special Project Office is a project office in the OSGF. We don’t know where fake agency comes from. A programme that has been in the SGF’s office since 16 July 2010 was just discovered yesterday (Friday). After 16 years; Nigeria is a funny country.”

Nwabueze made the statement in response to enquiries from the newspaper after posting what he described as his official appointment letter on LinkedIn.

Appointment Letter Released

The document, dated October 3, 2025, was purportedly issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

It carried the reference number OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205 and was signed by Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary in the Political and Economic Affairs Office of the OSGF.

The letter was addressed to “Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, National Coordinator, Made in Nigeria Project Office, OSGF, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.”

It conveyed approval for his appointment as National Coordinator and Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office under the OSGF.

The appointment, according to the document, was for five years beginning from July 2025, with an option for renewal.

“I am directed to formally convey the approval of your appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” the letter stated.

It also said the appointment followed “a careful evaluation of your commitment, contribution, and capacity in delivering on the mandate of the Special Project Office.”

The responsibilities assigned to Nwabueze included overseeing programmes and projects, coordinating policies and supervising regional and state coordinators across the federation.

He was also expected to organise exhibitions, trade fairs, economic summits and other activities aimed at promoting Nigerian products and services.

The letter further indicated that the project office was to operate temporarily from Room B53, Ground Floor, within the OSGF complex.

“Please note that this appointment is at the pleasure of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and in line with the objectives of the Made in Nigeria initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” it added.

The project office’s own website currently describes it as a strategic initiative of the OSGF focused on promoting locally made goods, supporting businesses and encouraging economic diversification.

Its stated activities include trade exhibitions, economic forums, brand development and support for small and medium-sized businesses.

Project Sought Special Status

Another document released by Nwabueze also appears to show that officials of the project had sought formal recognition as a Special Project.

The document was dated April 17, 2025, and signed by Gagare.

It was addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and referenced PS-PEAO/2025/008/4.

Titled A Proposal for the Made-in-Nigeria Project to be Granted Special Project Status, the document stated that the initiative had promoted Nigerian products and services both within the country and abroad.

It listed economic forums, trade exhibitions and other activities as part of the programme’s work.

The proposal said giving the project special status could support job creation, economic growth and poverty reduction.

It also linked the initiative to efforts to increase local production and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported goods.

According to the proposal, greater patronage of Nigerian products could help conserve foreign exchange and improve the country’s trade balance.

The project also presented itself as being in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on crude oil.

The document, however, indicated that the activities of the project were still to be reviewed and that operational arrangements would have to be developed.

ICPC Says Agency Was Unauthorised

The ICPC’s position remains different.

The commission’s chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, had announced the discovery of the outfit while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja.

According to him, investigators uncovered the project while probing the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and examining weaknesses in government procedures.

Aliyu said the Made in Nigeria office had been allocated space inside the OSGF without presidential authorisation.

He identified Nwabueze as the promoter and alleged that the operation had the involvement of some senior public servants within the OSGF.

The ICPC said President Tinubu had ordered that Nwabueze be arrested.

The commission also alleged that Nwabueze had used different versions of his name in connection with the activities.

The case has therefore raised questions over how an organisation described by the anti-corruption agency as unauthorised was able to operate from government premises and produce documents purportedly issued by a senior official of the OSGF.

Documents Raise Questions over OSGF Involvement

Nwabueze’s documents appear to challenge the commission’s claim that the project had no official government connection.

The organisation’s website also presents the project as being under the OSGF and identifies Nwabueze as its Executive Director and National Coordinator.

Its published framework similarly states that the project would operate under the supervision of the Permanent Secretary in the Political and Economic Affairs Office of the OSGF.

The framework outlines national, regional and state structures and identifies the OSGF as responsible for overall supervision and policy alignment.

The website also lists its Abuja office at B53, Ground Floor, within the OSGF complex at the Three Arms Zone.

However, the existence of such documents does not by itself settle the dispute over whether the project had the required presidential or statutory approval to operate as a federal government entity.

Nasarawa Governor Linked to Project

A report shared by the organisation also featured an engagement involving Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule.

In the report, Sule said the state had adopted the Federal Government’s Made-in-Nigeria initiative and included it in its 2026 budget.

“For us in Nasarawa State, we have since domesticated this initiative of the Federal Government in our solemn commitment to promote local contents and have value for resources abound in our dear state,” Sule was quoted as saying.

“I’m happy to inform you that we did not only domesticate this project, but we also accord special attention to its operationalisation by including it in our 2026 budget,” he added.

The report also quoted Nwabueze as saying the initiative was domiciled in the OSGF and was responsible for promoting the national brand.

The organisation has also maintained an online presence and listed national, zonal and state coordinators as part of its structure.

OSGF Yet to Clarify Controversy

Despite the conflicting claims, the OSGF had not publicly provided a detailed explanation of the documents released by Nwabueze as of the time of the report.

Its spokesman, Christopher Ugwuegbulam, reportedly asked news reporters to formally write to the office before a response could be provided.

Nwabueze also declined to give further details when contacted by the newspaper after releasing the documents.

The ICPC spokesman, John Odey, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing the report.

Meanwhile, a staff member of the OSGF told reporters that the office had been shut for months and was not operating as an agency.

“It was not operating as an agency but I know was under investigation… The office was shut months ago,” the staff member said.

The conflicting accounts have left the status of the Made in Nigeria project unclear.