George Nwabueze has defended the status of the Made-in-Nigeria Project Office after the ICPC accused him of promoting a fictitious federal agency, posting documents he said showed the office’s links to the OSGF.
George Nwabueze, accused by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of promoting a fake federal agency, has defended the status of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office.
Nwabueze, who describes himself as the National Coordinator and Executive Director of the project office, has continued to reject the ICPC’s allegation that the organisation was operating without government authorisation.
The documents shared by Nwabueze on LinkedIn include a purported appointment letter dated October 3, 2025, from the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office of the OSGF, as well as an earlier letter dated July 19, 2010, which he presented as evidence that the Made-in-Nigeria initiative had existed for years.
PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the authenticity of the documents.
The development comes days after the ICPC said President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate arrest of Nwabueze, whom the commission identified as the promoter of the alleged fake office.
The president also ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah, following the discovery of the office, according to the ICPC.
The Commission said the organisation had been allocated space within the OSGF premises without presidential authorisation and alleged that some senior public servants had collaborated with its activities.
In one of the documents posted by Nwabueze and reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES, on the letterhead of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, conveyed what it described as the approval of his appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made-in-Nigeria Project Office.
The letter, dated October 3, 2025, is referenced OSGF/MIN/59310/II/205 and addressed to “George Buchi Nwabueze, National Coordinator, Made in Nigeria Project Office, OSGF, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.”
It states that his appointment was for five years, beginning from July 2025, and was renewable.
The document says the appointment followed an assessment of Nwabueze’s “commitment, contribution, and capacity” to deliver the mandate of the Special Project Office.
It also lists his responsibilities as supervising programmes, projects, and policies; overseeing regional and state coordinators across the 36 states; and organising exhibitions, trade expos, economic summits, and other initiatives to promote indigenous products and services.
A second page of the document states that the project was to use temporary office space in Room B53, Ground Floor, within the OSGF complex “for the time being” to facilitate effective coordination.
It further states that the appointment was at the pleasure of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and aligned with the objectives of the Made-in-Nigeria initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The letter bears the name and signature of Nadungu Gagare, identified as the Permanent Secretary of the Political and Economic Affairs Office.
The appointment letter is significant because the ICPC’s allegation centres partly on whether the project office had official authorisation to operate within the OSGF.
However, PREMIUM TIMES has not independently established the authenticity of the document.
In another document shared on Sunday, Nwabueze sought to trace the initiative back to 2010.
The letter, dated July 19, 2010, is addressed to “Buchi George”, then described as Executive Director of The Hats Centre in Owerri, Imo State.
It acknowledges receipt of a proposal dated July 16, 2010, seeking endorsement for a “Made in Naija” project planned to take place in Ireland as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 50th anniversary.
The letter, referenced NIG@ 50/S.7/C,3/45, states that the proposal should be forwarded to the Nigerian High Commission in Ireland for possible consideration.
Nwabueze relied on the document to argue that the Made-in-Nigeria initiative predates the current controversy by more than a decade.
“History and facts, from Made in Naija since 15th June 2010 to the Made in Nigeria project office,” he wrote in a LinkedIn post accompanying the document.
He questioned how a programme he claimed had existed for 16 years could suddenly be described as a fictitious government body.
PREMIUM TIMES could not independently confirm the authenticity or present status of the 2010 letter.
Nwabueze had also earlier posted another document dated April 17, 2025, proposing to grant the Made-in-Nigeria initiative the status of a special project.
The document was signed by Gagare and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
It said the initiative had been promoting Nigerian products and services locally and internationally and had organised economic forums and trade exhibitions.
It also listed potential benefits of granting the project special status, including job creation, economic growth, poverty reduction, increased domestic production, and reduced dependence on imported goods.
