The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, George Buchi Nwabueze, has rejected allegations that he is operating a fake federal agency, presenting an appointment letter he says was issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
Nwabueze spoke after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) identified his office during its investigation into the alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. The commission had alleged that the Made-in-Nigeria office was operating from space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation.
Responding to the allegation, Nwabueze said the office was not a fake agency but a project office under the OSGF. He argued that the initiative had existed since July 2010 and questioned how it could suddenly be described as fictitious after 16 years.
To support his position, he published an appointment letter on LinkedIn dated October 3, 2025, which was purportedly issued by the OSGF. The document, referenced OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205, was signed by Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary in the Political and Economic Affairs Office.
The letter was addressed to Nwabueze as National Coordinator of the Made-in-Nigeria Project Office and conveyed approval of his appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the project office under the OSGF. According to the document, his appointment was for five years beginning in July 2025, with the possibility of renewal.
The document also outlined his responsibilities, including supervising programmes and projects, developing policies, coordinating regional and state coordinators across the 36 states, and organising exhibitions, trade expos and economic summits aimed at promoting Nigerian-made products and services.
Nwabueze also released another document dated April 17, 2025, showing that the project office had requested to be granted formal Special Project status. The proposal was also signed by Gagare and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The controversy began after ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu said investigators uncovered the office while probing the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. According to the commission, Nwabueze was the promoter of the outfit and allegedly operated it with the assistance of senior public servants within the OSGF.
However, documents released by Nwabueze appear to contradict the assertion that the office had no official backing. He maintains that it was a legitimate project office operating under the OSGF.
There are, however, still conflicting accounts over the office’s status. A staff member of the OSGF told Sunday PUNCH that the office had been shut for months and was under investigation. The source also said it was not operating as an agency.
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