Several state governments were allegedly misled into nominating officials to represent them in a purported federal agency that authorities have now described as fictitious, according to an investigation by TheCable.
The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which operated from within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), sent letters to at least 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2025 seeking nominations for state coordinators.
The development came to light after President Bola Tinubu ordered the arrest of Nwabueze Buchi George, identified as the alleged promoter and national coordinator of the project, following an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The ICPC said the office was operating without presidential authorisation and had been illegally allocated space within the OSGF complex. President Tinubu also ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries over the matter.
States received repeated requests
According to TheCable, the purported agency sent letters to state governments titled “Request for Nomination and Appointment of a State Coordinator for the Made in Nigeria Project Office.”
Some states initially ignored the request. However, the organisation subsequently sent several reminders urging governors to nominate representatives.
By January 2026, some states had reportedly received as many as three letters signed by George.
The letters described the appointment of state coordinators as essential to strengthening cooperation between the federal project office and state governments, particularly in promoting local production, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and expanding trade and investment opportunities.
Eventually, several state governments nominated aides or members of their executive councils, apparently believing that the initiative was a legitimate federal government programme.
A source familiar with the matter told TheCable that the involvement of officials within the OSGF helped give the project an appearance of legitimacy.
“If there is collusion with permanent secretaries within OSGF, it is easy to present the project as a genuine project,” the source said, according to the report.
20 state coordinators listed
The purported agency went further by publishing the names and photographs of state coordinators on its website.
TheCable found photographs of 20 coordinators representing Kogi, Bauchi, Oyo, Taraba, Kano, Ondo, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara, Abia, Sokoto, Ogun, Anambra, Osun, Kebbi and Delta states.
The coordinators were also reportedly added to a WhatsApp group where information about the organisation’s activities was circulated.
In May 2026, the project held an inauguration ceremony in Nasarawa State, where 28 state coordinators reportedly took an oath of office.
Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule attended the ceremony and was decorated by George as a grand patron of the organisation.
Appointment letter bears OSGF letterhead
The controversy deepened after George published what he described as his appointment letter.
The document, dated 3 October 2025, was issued on OSGF letterhead and purportedly appointed him as National Coordinator/Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office.
It stated that his five-year tenure commenced in July 2025 and assigned him responsibility for supervising the project’s programmes, policies and regional and state coordinators.
The letter also indicated that the organisation would operate from temporary office space within the OSGF complex.
The publication of the letter has raised further questions about how the purported agency was able to secure government premises and interact with state governments despite, according to ICPC, lacking official authorisation.
Anambra says it acted on official letter
The Anambra government has confirmed that it nominated its Secretary to the State Government, Chiamaka Nnake, as its coordinator after receiving a letter signed by George.
Nnake said the state had subsequently participated in engagements organised by the office and had even approved a request for Anambra to host a South-East Made-in-Nigeria Fair.
She said preparations had begun for the event, scheduled for December 2026, but maintained that she had no knowledge of or connection with any activities beyond the official engagements conducted through the purported office.
ICPC expands investigation
The discovery of the Made-in-Nigeria office followed an earlier investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, another purported government body.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu said the investigation uncovered the Made-in-Nigeria office and alleged the involvement of officials within the OSGF.
The commission identified George as the promoter of the organisation and said he had operated under several variations of his name.
President Tinubu subsequently ordered his arrest and the suspension of three permanent secretaries — M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah — pending further investigation.
The case has renewed concerns over weaknesses within Nigeria’s public-service system and how individuals or organisations without formal government authority can acquire the appearance of legitimacy, occupy government premises and establish relationships with state administrations.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have yet to establish publicly whether the purported agency obtained or diverted public funds through its activities.
