The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, George Buchi Nwabueze, has denied allegations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that he is operating a fake Federal Government agency.
Nwabueze, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on Saturday, said the Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office was a project office domiciled in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and had existed for about 16 years.
The ICPC had on Friday alleged that President Bola Tinubu ordered Nwabueze’s arrest over his role in promoting and operating what the commission described as a fictitious federal agency.
The commission’s Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, said the outfit was uncovered during investigations into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and alleged that Nwabueze operated with the backing of some senior public servants in the OSGF.
But Nwabueze rejected the allegation, insisting that the office was an established government project.
“Made in Nigeria Special Project Office is a project office in the OSGF. We don’t know where fake agency comes from. 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,” he told Sunday PUNCH.
In a bid to counter the ICPC’s allegation, Nwabueze posted an appointment letter on his LinkedIn page, showing that he was appointed National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made-in-Nigeria Project Office under the OSGF.
The letter, dated October 3, 2025, was referenced OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205 and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Nadungu Gagare.
Addressed to “Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, National Coordinator, Made in Nigeria Project Office, OSGF, Three Arms Zone, Abuja,” the letter conveyed the approval of his appointment for a five-year tenure beginning from July 2025, with the possibility of renewal.
The letter stated that the appointment followed an assessment of Nwabueze’s commitment, contributions and capacity to deliver on the mandate of the Special Project Office.
It assigned him responsibilities including the supervision and development of programmes, projects and policies; coordination of regional and state coordinators across the 36 states; and organisation of exhibitions, trade expos, economic summits and other initiatives designed to promote indigenous Nigerian products and services.
The document also stated that the project office was to operate temporarily from Room B53, Ground Floor, within the OSGF complex.
“Please note that this appointment is at the pleasure of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and in line with the objectives of the Made in Nigeria initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the letter stated.
Nwabueze, however, declined to respond to further enquiries from Sunday PUNCH on the controversy.
Another document shared by Nwabueze on LinkedIn showed that the office had also sought recognition as a Special Project.
The document, dated April 17, 2025, was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Gagare, and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Referenced PS-PEAO/2025/008/4 and titled, “A Proposal for the Made-in-Nigeria Project to be Granted Special Project Status,” the document said the initiative had been operating for about five years and had promoted Nigerian-made products and services locally and internationally.
It stated that the initiative had organised economic forums and trade exhibitions in different parts of the world and contributed to the Nigerian economy, particularly through efforts to attract foreign direct investment.
The proposal identified increased employment opportunities, economic growth and poverty reduction as some of the expected benefits of granting the initiative special-project status.
It also said the initiative could contribute to Gross Domestic Product growth by supporting local industries and encouraging domestic production.
According to the document, promoting locally made products would reduce importation, lessen dependence on foreign goods, conserve foreign exchange and improve Nigeria’s trade balance.
The proposal further linked the initiative to the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the economy, reduce dependence on crude oil and strengthen the non-oil sector.
The Permanent Secretary subsequently invited the SGF to consider granting the initiative special-project status, arguing that such recognition would enhance its credibility and effectiveness.
However, the proposal also made clear that the activities of the project were still subject to review and that its operational modalities would have to be developed.
The controversy followed comments by the ICPC chairman, Musa Aliyu, who identified the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office among the outfits uncovered during the commission’s investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Aliyu, while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja, said investigators discovered the office while probing the alleged PFIPC and examining what he described as procedural weaknesses within the public service.
According to the ICPC chairman, the office had been allocated space within the OSGF premises without presidential authorisation.
He identified Nwabueze as the promoter of the outfit and alleged that he operated under different variations of his name while enjoying the backing of some senior public servants in the OSGF.
The commission consequently listed the Made-in-Nigeria outfit among the structures it uncovered during the PFIPC investigation.
However, documents released by Nwabueze appear to challenge the claim that the project office had no official backing.
