Since Nigeria resumed democratic governance in 1999, the issue of fake or dubious certificates has emerged as a repeated topic, particularly concerning some of the country’s leading political figures.
Claims of fake certificates have been leveled at various public figures, including state governors, legislators, ministers, and presidential contenders.
Nevertheless, not all accusations resulted in a guilty judgment. Certain cases fell apart because of insufficient evidence, political strategies, or the intricacies of Nigeria’s judicial framework. In some instances, severe findings proved intentional falsification and incorrect presentation of academic credentials.
ALSO READ: 5 Nigerian state leaders charged with corruption but never found guilty
10 Politicians Accused of Fabricating Their Credentials
1. Uche Geoffrey Nnaji
Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, the minister responsible for Science, Technology, and Innovation, has been accused of falsification since July 2023, following President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of him as one of the initial 28 ministers.
During his Senate confirmation hearing on August 1, 2023, Nnaji stated that he graduated in 1985 and finished his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Jos the subsequent year. Nevertheless, the paperwork he provided to the Senate triggered some concerns.
YOU MIGHT LIKE: 8 state governors from Nigeria who purchased luxury airplanes during their tenure
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) also rejected the degree certificate he provided, claiming that he had never graduated from the university. In a letter dated October 2, 2025, UNN vice chancellorProfessor Simon U. Ortuanya confirmed suspicions:
We can verify that Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, who had the Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was enrolled by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981. Based on all accessible records, we are unable to confirm that Mr. Nnaji graduated in July 1985, as there is no documentation indicating he completed his studies. The University did not and therefore could not have issued the claimed certificate.
The degree certificate was also in doubt, listing a graduation date of July 1985, despite the NYSC certificate indicating that his service started in April of that year. Later, NYSC officials confirmed that no certificate had ever been issued to him, while UNN staff remembered that he had academic difficulties, failed important courses, and was advised to leave the university. A convocation program from 1985 confirmed that he was not listed among the graduates that year.
2. Bola Tinubu
Claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu falsified his diploma from Chicago State University (CSU) gained significant attention following the university’s release of his academic records in response to a legal action initiated by opposition figure Atiku Abubakar.
Mr. Abubakar, who did not win the February 2023 election, requested a US court to force CSU to provide Tinubu’s records, aiming to demonstrate falsification. CSU agreed but mentioned that it no longer keeps copies of diplomas after they are picked up. Instead, it provided sample diplomas from 1979 and verified that Tinubu received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration that year.
CSU also verified that it provided substitute degrees to Tinubu in subsequent years.The BBCExamined the paperwork and discovered no proof that the degree Tinubu provided to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was fake, even though its appearance varied from the 1979 editions. CSU stated there was no ambiguity regarding Tinubu’s gender or identity, confirming he earned a degree with distinction in 1979.
3. Stella Oduah
The academic background and assertions of former Senator Stella Oduah have been a point of contention for a long time. As per her profile in the National Assembly, she stated that she attended St. Paul’s College in Virginia, United States, from 1978 to 1982, where she obtained a degree in Accounting.
Nevertheless, in an investigative report,SaharaReportersclaimed that Oduah made up her academic qualifications. highlighting that the then-president of St. Paul’s College,Dr. Claud Flythe, refused to confirm or deny her allegations. She was also charged with falsely stating whether she finished the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program and with presenting fake documents to obtain positions as a minister and subsequently as a senator.
In 2023, she was scheduled to appear in court on eight charges connected to these allegations, but the process faced delays. The Federal High Court has since shown frustration due to her frequent absence, and at one point considered issuing a bench warrant for her arrest.
4. Muhammadu Buhari
The former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away, faced a certificate dispute as early as 2015, when the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raised concerns about the lack of his secondary school certificate after he was nominated as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate. Although these claims were made, he still secured the election.
In 2019, during his campaign for re-election, the controversy came back to light when Buhari did not list his academic qualifications in the paperwork submitted to INEC, leading critics to question whether he had completed secondary school.
In order to calm the controversy, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) eventually provided a certificate stating that Buhari had actually received a secondary school certificate in 1961. As time passed, the official story has been that Buhari’s original school certificates were taken by the military (when he entered the armed forces), and that the military “lost” them.
SEE THIS: Inside the Buhari Family: Discover his spouses, 10 children, and the impact he created
5. Goodluck Jonathan
The controversy surrounding former President Goodluck Jonathan’s PhD degree started when ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo publicly stated in 2015 that Jonathan had not finished his doctoral studies.
It is commonly assumed that Jonathan possesses a BSc in Zoology (1981), an MSc in Hydrobiology and Fisheries (1985), and a PhD in Zoology (1995), all obtained from the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT). UNIPORT has repeatedly denied these claims, labeling them as unfounded and asserting that
Its Deputy Registrar (Information), Dr. William Wodi, clearly stated that Jonathan enrolled in 1977, obtained his BSc in 1981, his MSc in 1985, and received his PhD in 1995. In 2018, the UNIPORT Alumni Association also supported Jonathan.
6. Kemi Adeosun
She stated that, due to having lived and studied overseas, she thought she was not required to comply with NYSC regulations. Following her resignation, Adeosun contested the rule that necessitates presenting an NYSC certificate to assume a public position.
jasdooit 
Leave a comment