DG of alleged fake ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ office defends legitimacy

By Johnson Arua

The National Coordinator and Executive Director of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, George Nwabueze, has continued to defend the legitimacy of the organisation, releasing additional documents which he said established its links with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Nwabueze, who shared the documents on his LinkedIn page on Sunday, posted a letter dated July 19, 2010, purportedly issued by the OSGF. The letter, referenced NIG@ 50/S. 7/C,3/45 and signed by Dominic Y.E. for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, was addressed to “Buchi George,” then described as the Executive Director of The Hats Centre, Owerri, Imo State.

Titled, “RE: ENDORSEMENT OF OUR PROJECT, MADE IN NAIJA, TO BE HELD IN IRELAND,” the letter acknowledged receipt of a proposal dated July 16, 2010, seeking government endorsement for a “Made in Naija” project scheduled to hold in Ireland as part of Nigeria’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The development comes amid questions over how the organisation, which the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, described as fictitious, was able to establish links with federal ministries and state governments. The ICPC had alleged that the organisation operated without presidential authorisation despite presenting itself as a Federal Government initiative under the OSGF.

Following the disclosure, President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries — M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah. The ICPC also alleged that the organisation had been allocated office space within the OSGF premises and had suspected collaborators within the government office.

However, records showed that the organisation had developed a significant government-facing footprint before the ICPC’s disclosure. The organisation’s website, madeinnigeriang.org, presented it as the “National Centre for Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Projects Office,” with activities covering trade fairs, SME development, product promotion, investment programmes and economic forums.

Government records also showed engagements involving the organisation in Abia and Anambra states. The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation reported that Nwabueze led a delegation to the Abia State Government House, where officials discussed promoting Made-in-Nigeria products and strengthening local industries. The Anambra State Government similarly reported a meeting with Nwabueze over plans to host the National Products Expo 2026.

In Abia, the state Ministry of Industry and SMEs reportedly went beyond holding meetings, announcing a working relationship with the National Brand Development and Made-in-Nigeria Project Office on Abia Expo 2026. The project was described as an initiative aimed at promoting locally manufactured goods, particularly products from Aba, while attracting investors, buyers and development partners.

These records have raised questions about how an organisation now described by the ICPC as unauthorised was able to hold meetings with public officials, feature in government communications and participate in planned economic programmes. The records do not, however, establish that the government officials involved knew the organisation allegedly lacked presidential approval.