The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, George Nwabueze, has denied allegations that he was running a fake federal agency.
Nwabueze said the office was a project under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and had existed since 2010.
His response followed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission’s (ICPC) announcement that President Bola Tinubu had ordered his arrest over his alleged role in running the organisation, which the commission described as a fake federal agency.
The ICPC had also alleged that the office was operating with the support of some senior officials in the OSGF.
But Nwabueze, speaking to Sunday PUNCH, rejected the allegation and shared an appointment letter on LinkedIn which he said confirmed his official position.
The letter, dated October 3, 2025, was purportedly issued by the OSGF and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Nadungu Gagare.
It stated that Nwabueze had been appointed National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made-in-Nigeria Project Office for a five-year term beginning in July 2025.
The letter also outlined his responsibilities, including overseeing programmes and policies, coordinating officials across the 36 states and organising trade exhibitions, economic summits and other activities aimed at promoting Nigerian-made products.
Nwabueze said the project office had been operating under the SGF’s office for years.
“Made in Nigeria Special Project Office is a project office in the OSGF. We don’t know where fake agency comes from,” he said.
Another document shared by Nwabueze showed that the office had sought official recognition as a Special Project within the OSGF.
The April 17, 2025 document, signed by Gagare, proposed that the Made-in-Nigeria Project be granted Special Project status, citing its activities in promoting local products, trade exhibitions and investment.
The proposal said the initiative would support local industries, create jobs, reduce dependence on imports and contribute to economic growth.
However, the ICPC maintains that the office was among the structures uncovered during its investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, had alleged that the organisation was allocated space within the OSGF without presidential approval and that Nwabueze operated the outfit with the backing of some senior public servants.
Documents released by Nwabueze, however, appear to challenge the claim that the project had no official backing.
A report published by the organisation also quoted Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, as saying the state had adopted the Federal Government’s Made-in-Nigeria initiative and included it in its 2026 budget.
Despite the conflicting claims, an OSGF staff member told Sunday PUNCH that the office had been shut for months and was not operating as an agency.
The OSGF spokesman, Christopher Ugwuegbulam, requested a formal letter before responding to enquiries.
The ICPC spokesman, John Odey, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing the report.
Meanwhile, police sources said the force had not been formally briefed about the case and that a manhunt would only begin after an official briefing.
The conflicting accounts have left questions over the legal status of the project office, its authorisation and its relationship with the OSGF.
