The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, George Nwabueze, has rejected allegations that he was operating a “fake agency” in the country.
Nwabueze, who spoke to media reports on Saturday, explained that he headed an office under the supervision of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He said the office had existed for 16 years.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission had on Friday disclosed that the President ordered Nwabueze’s arrest over his leadership and promotion of the outfit, which the commission described as a fake federal agency.
The ICPC alleged that Nwabueze operated the organisation in collaboration with some senior public servants within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
However, in his response, the embattled executive director said, “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.”
Nwabueze made the clarification while responding to enquiries from media reports on LinkedIn, where he had earlier published his appointment letter in an apparent effort to dispute the ICPC’s allegation that his appointment and office were unlawful.
The appointment letter, dated October 3, 2025, was purportedly issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
It carried the reference OSGF/MIN/59310/11/205 and was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Nadungu Gagare.
The letter was addressed to “Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, National Coordinator, Made in Nigeria Project Office, OSGF, Three Arms Zone, Abuja,” and communicated the approval of his appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office under the OSGF.
The document stated that the appointment followed “a careful evaluation of your commitment, contribution, and capacity in delivering on the mandate of the Special Project Office.”
It further indicated that Nwabueze’s appointment was for a five-year tenure commencing from July 2025, with the possibility of renewal.
“I am directed to formally convey the approval of your appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” the letter stated.
According to the appointment letter, Nwabueze was responsible for supervising and developing programmes, projects and policies, as well as overseeing regional and state coordinators across the 36 states.
His duties also included organising exhibitions, trade expos, economic summits and other promotional activities designed to advance indigenous products and services.
The document also disclosed that the project office was temporarily expected to operate 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 said.
Further efforts to obtain additional comments from Nwabueze were unsuccessful as he declined to respond to further enquiries.
Project office seeks special status
Another document published by Nwabueze on LinkedIn on Saturday indicated that the office had previously 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.
It bore the reference PS-PEAO/2025/008/4.
Titled, ‘A proposal for the Made-in-Nigeria Project to be granted Special Project status’, the document stated that the initiative had operated for about five years and had promoted Nigerian-made products and services both within the country and internationally.
It claimed that the initiative had organised economic forums and trade exhibitions in different parts of the world and had contributed to the Nigerian economy, particularly by supporting foreign direct investment.
Among the projected advantages of granting the project special status, the document identified increased employment opportunities, economic expansion and poverty reduction.
The proposal further stated that the initiative would support Gross Domestic Product growth by strengthening local industries and encouraging domestic production.
It also argued that the programme would help reduce imports by encouraging Nigerians to patronise locally produced goods, thereby reducing reliance on imported products, conserving foreign exchange and improving Nigeria’s trade balance.
The document said the initiative was consistent with the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the economy, reduce dependence on crude oil and expand the non-oil sector.
The Permanent Secretary consequently urged the SGF to consider that granting the project special status would improve its credibility and effectiveness and allow it to discharge its mandate and responsibilities more efficiently.
However, the proposal also stated that the activities of the project would be reviewed and that appropriate operational modalities would subsequently be developed.
ICPC questions legitimacy of project office
The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, had identified the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office as one of the outfits uncovered during the commission’s investigation into the alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Aliyu, while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja, said the office was discovered during investigations into the PFIPC and what he described as weaknesses in the public service system.
According to the ICPC chairman, the office had been allocated space within the OSGF premises without presidential authorisation.
He identified Prince George Buchi Nwabueze as the promoter of the outfit, alleging that he operated under different variations of his name and enjoyed the backing of some senior officials within the OSGF.
The commission had linked the organisation to structures uncovered during its investigation into the alleged PFIPC.
However, documents released by Nwabueze appeared to challenge the claim that the project office operated without official government backing.
One of the reports published on the organisation’s LinkedIn page documented a stakeholders’ engagement in Nasarawa State involving Governor Abdullahi Sule.
During the engagement, the governor was quoted as saying that the state had domesticated the Federal Government’s Made-in-Nigeria initiative and included it in its 2026 budget.
“For us in Nasarawa State, we have since domesticated this initiative of the Federal Government in our solemn commitment to promote local contents and have value for resources abound in our dear state,” Sule was quoted as saying.
“I’m happy to inform you that we did not only domesticate this project, but we also accord special attention to its operationalisation by including it in our 2026 budget,” he added.
The report also quoted the National Coordinator of the Made in Nigeria Project as saying that the initiative was domiciled in the OSGF and was responsible for promoting the national brand.
Nwabueze was further quoted as saying that a decision had been taken to establish a National Brand Processing and Packaging Centre in Nasarawa State.
The organisation’s website also identified “Nwabueze George” as “Executive Director, National Coordinator,” connecting the position to the individual named in the ICPC investigation.
Checks on the organisation’s website showed that it maintained a structure comprising national, zonal and state coordinators.
At the national level, the organisation listed Dr Bassey B. Unaowo as Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary on Political and Economic Affairs in the OSGF, while Dr Hajara Njidda Amoni was listed as Director, National Administration.
The organisation also listed zonal directors and coordinators across several states.
It maintained social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn using the handle “@pmainpro.”
OSGF source says office had been shut
However, a staff member of the OSGF told media reports that the office had remained closed for several months.
“It was not operating as an agency but I know was under investigation… The office was shut months ago,” the source said.
The development has raised fresh questions about the legal and administrative status of the project office, particularly amid conflicting claims concerning its authorisation and relationship with the OSGF.
While the ICPC insists that the office was allocated space within the OSGF without presidential approval, documents released by Nwabueze contain an appointment letter purportedly issued by the OSGF and formally appointing him to lead the project office.
The OSGF spokesman, Christopher Ugwuegbulam, when contacted, requested that media reports submit a letter to his office before an official response could be obtained.
Attempts to reach the ICPC spokesman, John Odey, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing the report, as calls to his telephone number were not reachable.
Media reports gathered that the police had not yet been formally briefed about the matter.
Credible police sources said a manhunt would only commence after the police received an official briefing on the case.
