Fake agency: Nwabueze challenges ICPC, presents OSGF appointment letter — Report

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

Nwabueze said the office was a project office under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and had existed for 16 years.

He spoke against the backdrop of the ICPC’s announcement on Friday that President Bola Tinubu had ordered his arrest over his alleged involvement in operating and promoting the outfit.

The commission had alleged that Nwabueze ran the organisation with the support of some senior public servants in the OSGF and that the office was allocated space within the OSGF complex without presidential approval.

However, Nwabueze, responding to enquiries, disputed the allegation and said the Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office had been domiciled in the OSGF since July 16, 2010.

“Made in Nigeria Special Project Office is a project office in the OSGF. We don’t know where fake agency comes from,” he said in a report by PUNCH newspaper on Sunday.

“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 had earlier posted what he described as his appointment letter on LinkedIn, apparently in response to the ICPC’s claim that the office lacked official backing.

The letter, dated October 3, 2025, was purportedly issued by the OSGF and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Nadungu Gagare.