Nigeria investigates second fake government agency

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into the establishment and operation of a second fraudulent government agency, the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, led by George Buchi Nwabueze. This agency was reportedly operating illegally from a government office. The investigation follows the recent uncovering of another fake agency, the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, which had been active for years, engaging with officials and accessing public funds. Nigeria’s corruption watchdog head, Musa Adamu Aliyu, confirmed that the new discovery emerged from the ongoing investigation into the earlier scam. Authorities suspect that the perpetrators of these fake institutions may be colluding with high-level government officials to embezzle funds from the national budget. Consequently, three senior officials have been suspended, and an arrest warrant has been issued for Nwabueze. It remains unclear whether the fake agency obtained any financial benefits before being exposed. These incidents reflect growing concerns over corruption and fraudulent activities within government structures in Nigeria.