Fraudulent Agency Deceives States into Appointing Coordinators

The administration of President Bola Tinubu has revealed that a fraudulent organization, the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, misled several state governments into appointing state coordinators by posing as a legitimate federal agency under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) discovered that the agency operated without presidential authorization and had been given office space within the OSGF premises, enhancing its credibility.

In 2025, the agency contacted various state governments, requesting nominations for coordinators for the purported Made-in-Nigeria project, sending multiple reminder letters when states did not respond. Following the investigation, President Tinubu ordered the arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze, the promoter of the organization, and suspended three permanent secretaries—M.S.

Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah—due to their alleged involvement.