By Fatima Saka
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to widen its investigation into former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, over allegations of continued salary payments after his exit from office.
In a supplementary petition signed by HEDA Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the organisation called for a broader probe to cover alleged salary fraud, unlawful enrichment, payroll manipulation, and possible conspiracy involving public officials.
The petition, addressed to the ICPC, follows an earlier complaint dated October 17, 2025, which accused Nnaji of certificate forgery, perjury, and presenting false academic credentials. HEDA said fresh evidence obtained from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) suggests that the former minister may have remained on the federal government payroll months after leaving office.
According to documents cited in the petition, IPPIS records for June 2026 allegedly show that Nnaji was still listed under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) as “Honourable Minister” and received a net salary payment of ₦170,282.61 for that month. The records also reportedly indicate cumulative earnings of ₦5,845,601.13.
HEDA expressed concern that if confirmed, the development points to serious lapses in government payroll management and accountability systems.
“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,” Suraju stated.
The organisation urged the ICPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the continued presence of Nnaji’s profile on the IPPIS platform and identify officials responsible for authorising or maintaining the alleged payments.
HEDA further called on the Commission to halt any ongoing disbursement of public funds linked to the case pending the outcome of investigations and to initiate recovery of any funds found to have been improperly paid.
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Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accountability, the group stressed the need for a thorough, independent, and transparent probe, urging anti-corruption agencies to take appropriate legal action if wrongdoing is established.
The ICPC has yet to issue an official response to the petition as of the time of filing this report.
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