ABUJA — The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, recently declared an alleged fake agency by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, appears to have operated with the public image of a full federal institution, complete with a national structure, official-looking branding and claims of government approval.
The office was allegedly domiciled within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, before it was uncovered during ICPC’s investigation into another disputed body, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, said the “National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office” had been illegally allocated office space inside the SGF complex without presidential authorisation.
According to Aliyu, the office was promoted by George Buchi Nwabueze, who was allegedly found to have operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze. Following the briefing, President Bola Tinubu ordered Nwabueze’s arrest and approved the suspension of three permanent secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Engr. Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
A review of the outfit’s website showed that it presented itself as a national project under the OSGF, with Nwabueze listed as National Coordinator and Executive Director. The site claimed the initiative was designed to transform Nigeria from a resource-dependent economy into a production-driven industrial nation and said it had been formalised following Federal Executive Council approval in 2017.
The website also listed contact details at B53, Ground Floor, Shagari House, Three Arms Zone, Abuja — the same government complex linked to the SGF’s office — further reinforcing its appearance as an official public-sector platform.
Beyond its online claims, the organisation appeared to have built a broad leadership structure. Its state executive coordinators’ page listed Nwabueze as Executive Director and National Coordinator, along with officials styled as zonal directors and state coordinators. Daily Times reported that the alleged fake office operated with zonal directors, 20 state coordinators and representatives in the United States and China.
The structure appeared designed to mimic the spread and inclusiveness of a federal agency, with appointments cutting across regions and states. Profiles carried official-looking green-and-white insignia bearing the words “National Brands Development,” “The Presidency” and “Made in Nigeria.”
The ICPC said its investigation is ongoing and will examine how the office secured accommodation within the OSGF premises, who facilitated its operations and whether senior officials breached public-service procedures.
The scandal has deepened concerns about internal controls in federal institutions, especially how an allegedly unauthorised body could operate from a sensitive government location while presenting itself as a legitimate national programme.
