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 by posting documents he claims link the initiative to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
Nwabueze's Defence and Document Release
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 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.
Details of the Purported Appointment Letter
In one of the documents posted by Nwabueze and reviewed by Premium Times, on the letterhead of the OSGF, 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 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. The letter bears the name and signature of Nadungu Gagare, identified as the Permanent Secretary of the Political and Economic Affairs Office.
Tracing the Initiative to 2010
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.
Government Engagements and Lingering Concerns
Nwabueze's defence comes against the backdrop of records showing that the organisation had established contacts with government institutions before the ICPC's disclosure. As Premium Times previously reported, government records showed engagements involving the project in Abia and Anambra. The organisation had also presented itself on its website as a strategic initiative of the OSGF, with a national coordinator, zonal directors, state coordinators and representatives in the United States and China. Its website described the project as responsible for promoting Nigerian products, supporting small and medium enterprises, attracting investment, and organising trade fairs and economic forums.
The controversy raises questions about the legal and administrative status of the office, who authorised its activities, how it secured space within the OSGF premises and the extent to which public officials interacted with it. Nwabueze's documents provide his account of the organisation's history and his relationship with the OSGF, but they have not settled the dispute over its status. The ICPC has maintained that the office was one of the fictitious government structures uncovered during its investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. The commission said Nwabueze was the promoter of the organisation and alleged that it operated with the backing of some public servants. Nwabueze, however, has rejected the description and insists that the organisation is a project office under the OSGF. The conflicting accounts now place greater importance on the outcome of the ICPC investigation.
