Controversy surrounding the status of the Made-in-Nigeria Project Office has intensified, with its National Coordinator and Executive Director, Nwabueze Buchi George, insisting that the initiative has been in existence for several years.
Nwabueze made the clarification in a LinkedIn post amid an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) into allegations surrounding a purported fake federal agency.
Questioning why the programme’s existence was being challenged only in 2026, Nwabueze said its activities could be traced back to 2010.
“How can you discover a 16 years program in 2026, it’s means you have been blind, we are committed to the national development,” he wrote.
To support his position, Nwabueze circulated documents which he said established the history of the project.
One of the documents was a letter dated July 19, 2010, from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), relating to the endorsement of a “Made In Naija” project proposed for an event in Ireland.
However, the letter was addressed to a “Buchi George” of The Hats Centre in Owerri and did not expressly establish the existence of the current Made-in-Nigeria Project Office.
Another document shared by Nwabueze was an appointment letter dated October 3, 2025, conveying his appointment as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the project.
Despite the documents, questions remain over the office’s legal foundation, government approval, funding arrangements and its reported relationship with the OSGF.
Officials of the OSGF have yet to publicly clarify the status of the organisation or respond to enquiries on the matter.
Anambra SSG Explains Her Link
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, Chiamaka Nnake, has explained how she became associated with the controversial office after her photograph appeared among its state coordinators.
Nnake said the Anambra State Government received a request in January 2026 to nominate a state focal person for the initiative.
According to her, Governor Chukwuma Soludo subsequently nominated her for the position.
She said representatives nominated by the 36 states were thereafter added to a WhatsApp group where discussions were held on activities relating to the project.
Nnake explained that the organisation subsequently approached the Anambra Government with a request to host a South-East Made-in-Nigeria Fair, which the state approved.
“I wish to clarify the circumstances surrounding the trending news concerning the purported ‘Made-in-Nigeria Agency’, in which my photograph has been displayed and I have been identified as one of the state coordinators,” she said.
She stressed that her involvement was limited to the official engagements initiated through the state government.
“Beyond these official interactions and engagements, she has no knowledge of, involvement in, or connection with any other activities, claims, or developments attributed to the said office,” Nnake added.
She said the proposed South-East Made-in-Nigeria Fair was scheduled to hold in Anambra from December 2 to 5, 2026.
Ex-Permanent Secretary Questions Government Oversight
A former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Goke Adeboroye, has described the controversy as evidence of weaknesses in Nigeria’s public service system.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Adeboroye questioned how an organisation alleged to be a fake government body could gain access to government offices, budget-related processes and official channels without being detected.
“The exposure of that fake presidential agency is a major lapse to say that somebody can actually come into the system, get in on the budget, get offices, and all of that,” he said.
Adeboroye stressed the need for government officials to properly authenticate suspicious directives and ensure that purported presidential approvals comply with established procedures.
He argued that weaknesses in the bureaucracy could undermine the ability of the government to effectively implement presidential policies.
“The bureaucracy in those offices are not strong enough to be able to help the President drive the vision at the speed and with the efficiency that he wants,” he said.
The former permanent secretary also called for greater professionalism, competence and integrity within the civil service, arguing that officials should be sufficiently empowered to question questionable directives.
According to him, while political office holders provide direction, the bureaucracy must have the professional capacity to verify and challenge instructions where necessary.
He further explained that questionable communications could often be resolved through basic verification with relevant government officials.
Adeboroye said that during his time in government, a simple telephone call to the appropriate office could have been used to authenticate a purported directive and prevent confusion.
For now, the dispute remains unresolved, with Nwabueze maintaining that the Made-in-Nigeria initiative has a history dating back years, while the ongoing ICPC investigation continues to raise questions about the organisation’s legal status, authority and relationship with the Federal Government.
