The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, George Buchi Nwabueze, has rejected allegations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that he was operating a “fake federal agency.”
Nwabueze said the office he heads is a project office domiciled within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and has existed for about 16 years.
His response followed a statement by the ICPC that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had ordered his arrest over his alleged role in promoting and operating the organisation, which the commission described as a fictitious federal agency.
The controversy emerged after the anti-corruption commission reportedly uncovered the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office while investigating an alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Nwabueze, however, has strongly disputed the allegation that his office is unauthorised.
Speaking to Sunday PUNCH, he argued that the organisation had been operating under the supervision of the OSGF for years and questioned why an office that had allegedly existed since 2010 was suddenly being described as a fake agency.
“Made in Nigeria Special Project Office is a project office in the OSGF. We don’t know where fake agency comes from,” Nwabueze said, according to the report. He questioned how an initiative that had purportedly been operating within the OSGF for 16 years could only now attract such allegations.
In an effort to support his claim, Nwabueze published an appointment letter on LinkedIn. The document, dated October 3, 2025, was purportedly issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The letter, referenced OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205, was signed by Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary in the Political and Economic Affairs Office of the OSGF. It was addressed to Nwabueze as National Coordinator of the Made in Nigeria Project Office and formally conveyed approval of his appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director.
According to the document, Nwabueze’s appointment was for an initial five-year period beginning in July 2025, with the possibility of renewal.
The letter said his appointment followed an assessment of his commitment, contributions and capacity to deliver on the mandate of the special project office.
His stated responsibilities included supervising and developing programmes, projects and policies associated with the initiative, coordinating regional and state coordinators across Nigeria’s 36 states, and organising exhibitions, trade expos, economic summits and other activities designed to promote Nigerian products and services.
The document further indicated that the project office was temporarily operating from Room B53 on the ground floor of the OSGF complex.
It also stated that Nwabueze’s appointment was at the pleasure of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and aligned with the objectives of the Made-in-Nigeria initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Another document released by Nwabueze appears to provide additional background to the status being claimed by the organisation.
The document, dated April 17, 2025, was signed by the same Permanent Secretary, Nadungu Gagare, and addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Titled “A Proposal for the Made-in-Nigeria Project to be Granted Special Project Status,” the document stated that the initiative had been operating for approximately five years and had promoted Nigerian-made goods and services both locally and internationally.
It claimed that the project had organised economic forums and trade exhibitions in different parts of the world and contributed to the Nigerian economy, particularly by promoting foreign direct investment.
The proposal identified increased employment, economic growth and poverty reduction among the anticipated benefits of granting the initiative special-project status. It also argued that supporting domestic production could contribute to Gross Domestic Product growth by strengthening local industries.
The document further stated that promoting locally manufactured products could help reduce dependence on imports, conserve foreign exchange and improve Nigeria’s trade balance.
It linked the initiative to the Federal Government’s broader economic diversification agenda, particularly efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on crude oil and strengthen the non-oil sector.
The Permanent Secretary subsequently invited the SGF to consider the proposal, arguing that special-project status would enhance the initiative’s credibility and effectiveness. However, the proposal also acknowledged that the activities of the project would require review and that appropriate operational modalities would need to be developed.
The ICPC has presented a significantly different account.
The commission’s Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, reportedly identified the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office as one of the structures uncovered during an investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
According to the ICPC chairman, investigators discovered the organisation while examining the alleged fictitious council and what he described as weaknesses in public-service procedures.
The commission alleged that the office had been allocated space within the OSGF complex without presidential authorisation.
It also identified Prince George Buchi Nwabueze as the promoter of the organisation and alleged that he operated under different variations of his name with the support of some senior public servants within the OSGF.
The documents released by Nwabueze, however, appear intended to challenge the commission’s assertion that the project lacked official backing.
One of the materials cited a stakeholders’ engagement in Nasarawa State involving Governor Abdullahi Sule. During the engagement, Sule reportedly said the state had adopted the Federal Government’s Made-in-Nigeria initiative and included it in its 2026 budget.
The governor was quoted as saying Nasarawa had domesticated the initiative as part of its commitment to promoting local content and making better use of resources available in the state.
The organisation also said it planned to establish a National Brand Processing and Packaging Centre in Nasarawa State.
Its website lists Nwabueze George as Executive Director and National Coordinator and provides a structure comprising national, zonal and state coordinators. The organisation also maintains social media accounts under the handle “@pmainpro.”
Despite the documents presented by Nwabueze, questions remain about the precise legal and administrative status of the organisation.
A staff member of the OSGF reportedly told Sunday PUNCH that the office had been shut for several months.
The source said the organisation was not operating as an agency and confirmed that it had been under investigation.
This has left conflicting accounts about the office’s authority, its relationship with the OSGF and the extent to which it had received formal government approval.
While the ICPC maintains that the organisation was allocated office space without the required presidential authorisation, Nwabueze has produced an appointment letter purportedly issued by the OSGF that formally recognises his position.
The OSGF spokesman, Christopher Ugwuegbulam, reportedly requested that questions be submitted formally before the office could respond. Meanwhile, attempts to reach the ICPC spokesman, John Odey, were unsuccessful at the time of the report.
There was also uncertainty over whether law-enforcement authorities had formally commenced efforts to arrest Nwabueze. Sources within the police reportedly said they had not received an official briefing and that a manhunt would only begin following a formal communication on the matter.
The controversy therefore remains unresolved, with two competing narratives emerging. The ICPC maintains that the organisation was not properly authorised, while Nwabueze insists that it is a legitimate project office under the OSGF and has produced official-looking documents to support his position.
The central issue now is whether the documents presented by Nwabueze are sufficient to establish the legal status and authorisation of the project office, and whether the relevant government authorities formally approved its establishment, operations and leadership.
Until the investigation is concluded and the OSGF or other competent authorities provide definitive clarification, the status of the Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office remains the subject of significant controversy.
