Group demands probe of Uche Nnaji’s continued drawing of salary despite exit as minister

Nigeria's Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging that former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Uche Nnaji has continued to receive his official salary and allowances for 10 months after his resignation.

HEDA, led by Chairman Olanrewaju Suraju, stated that the petition follows earlier submissions concerning allegations of certificate forgery and perjury against Mr. Nnaji. The former minister resigned on October 7 last year, shortly after a PREMIUM TIMES investigation exposed alleged irregularities in his academic credentials submitted during his ministerial screening in August 2023.

Following the initial scandal, the ICPC initiated an investigation, and an arrest warrant was eventually secured against Mr. Nnaji after he failed to honor multiple invitations. He was arrested on July 1 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and later arraigned in court on charges of certificate forgery and money laundering. The hearing is scheduled for September 21.

In its latest statement, HEDA called for an expanded probe, citing new findings from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). According to HEDA's petition, IPPIS records for June 2026 allegedly show Mr. Nnaji listed under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as 'Hon Minister,' with a net payment of ₦170,282.61 for that month and cumulative earnings of ₦5,845,601.13. The group expressed alarm that a public official could remain on the government payroll for months after leaving office, questioning the accountability of those overseeing payroll records and urging the ICPC to investigate, identify responsible parties, and recover the funds.

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We are concerned that a public official who has left office could allegedly remain active on the government payroll system for several months. Beyond the individual involved, this raises questions about the accountability of officials responsible for maintaining and supervising government payroll records.