HEDA Wants Investigation into Uche Nnaji's Salary Payments After Resignation

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has written to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). They claim Uche Nnaji has been getting monthly salaries and allowances 10 months after he quit as Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, HEDA, led by Chairman Olanrewaju Suraju, said this petition follows an earlier submission on 17 October 2025. That submission was about allegations of certificate forgery, perjury, and presenting false academic credentials.

Mr Nnaji stepped down from his ministerial role on 7 October last year. He resigned three days after PREMIUM TIMES published a report that revealed problems with the UNN degree and NYSC certificates he gave to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial screening in August 2023.

After the initial scandal, the ICPC started an investigation. Mr Nnaji did not respond to several invitations to come in for questioning. Because of this, the agency got an arrest warrant for him. On 1 July, the former minister was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja when he arrived from Enugu on a private flight.

He faced charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja on 13 July. He was charged with six counts of certificate forgery and money laundering. The hearing was postponed until 21 September.

In its recent statement, HEDA has asked the ICPC to expand its investigation due to new findings from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). This is the federal platform made to centralise public-sector payroll data and cut down on financial waste.

HEDA's petition claims IPPIS records for June 2026 show Mr Nnaji listed under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as ‘Hon Minister’. It shows he received a net payment of ₦170,282.61 that month. The records reportedly show total earnings of ₦5,845,601.13 listed on the system.

The group is worried that a public official who has left office can stay on the government payroll for several months. "We are concerned that a public official who has left office could allegedly remain active on the government payroll system for several months," they said. "Beyond the individual involved, this raises questions about the accountability of officials responsible for maintaining and supervising government payroll records."

HEDA has asked the ICPC to look into why Mr Nnaji’s profile remains on the IPPIS platform. They want to find out who approved these payments and recover public funds. The group also wants more charges against the former minister, including potential salary fraud, unlawful enrichment, and payroll manipulation.

These claims come after reports from June, when Peoples Gazette said IPPIS records showed Mr Nnaji was still getting ₦1.1 million in monthly salaries. Officials from the ministry mentioned in that report said the federal government had allegedly paid the former minister at least ₦12.8 million in monthly allowances since President Tinubu removed him.