NEWS
How Alleged Fake Made-in-Nigeria Office Drew State Governments Into Nationwide Coordinator Scheme
Fresh details have emerged on how the now-controversial National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office allegedly established a nationwide network of state coordinators, sending official-looking letters to state governments and the Federal Capital Territory requesting nominations for representatives.
The development comes amid an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) into the activities of the office, which was said to have operated despite being unrecognised as a government agency.
On Friday, President Bola Tinubu ordered the arrest of Nwabueze Buchi George, who was said to be the executive director and national coordinator of the “fictitious” agency.
The controversy surrounding the office has deepened following revelations that letters requesting the nomination and appointment of state coordinators were sent to at least 15 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory.
The letters, formally addressed to government officials, were titled: “REQUEST FOR NOMINATION AND APPOINTMENT OF A STATE COORDINATOR FOR THE MADE IN NIGERIA PROJECT OFFICE.”
Sources familiar with the development said some state governments initially did not act on the requests. However, the office reportedly continued to pursue the nominations, sending multiple reminder letters to governments that had yet to respond.
By January 2026, some state governments had reportedly received as many as three separate letters signed by George, urging them to submit the names of nominees who would represent their respective states.
In one of the communications, the office described the appointment of state coordinators as “critical to strengthening collaboration between the Federal Project Office and State Government in promoting local production”.
The Third Reminder:-
One of the letters, described as a third reminder and signed by George, read:
“I am directed to respectfully write as a Third Reminder to Your Excellency on our earlier correspondences requesting the nomination and appointment of a State Coordinator to represent the state in the Made in Nigeria Project Office,” the letter signed by George reads.
“The appointment of State Coordinators is critical to strengthening collaboration between the Federal Project Office and State Government in promoting local production, empowering SMIEs, advancing industrial growth, and ensuring active State participation in National and International Trade and Investment Engagements.
“We kindly seek Your Excellency’s prompt consideration by forwarding the details of a suitable nominee to enable formal confirmation and the issuance of an appointment letter from our office.”
States Eventually Nominated Coordinators:-
Another source familiar with the activities of the office said most of the state governments eventually responded by nominating aides to governors or members of their state executive councils.
The states were reportedly under the impression that the Made in Nigeria Project Office was a genuine government-backed initiative, particularly because officials linked to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation were allegedly seen participating in some of its activities.
“When you analyse what ICPC reported, they stated that there was collusion between the leadership of the project and some permanent secretaries within OSGF.
“So if there is collusion with permanent secretaries within OSGF, it is easy to present the project as a genuine project.
“They deceived states into nominating state coordinators,” a source said.
The Kaduna State Government reportedly acknowledged one of the letters in October 2025, while an acknowledgement letter from the Anambra State Government was dated February 2026.
A review of the Made in Nigeria Project Office’s website reportedly showed the portraits of 20 state coordinators.
The states listed were Kogi, Bauchi, Oyo, Taraba, Kano, Ondo, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara, Abia, Sokoto, Ogun, Anambra, Osun, Kebbi and Delta.
An insider, however, said not all the nominated coordinators had their photographs published on the agency’s website.
The nominated coordinators were also reportedly brought together through a WhatsApp group where information concerning the activities of the office was regularly circulated.
In November 2025, shortly after one of the coordinators was added to the group, a message was reportedly sent directing members to submit photographs for official profiling.
“All state coordinators to send their portrait photographs for profiling, calendar and on our official website,” the message reads.
Nasarawa Governor Attended Coordinators’ Inauguration:-
The alleged activities of the office appeared to gain even greater visibility in May 2026 when an inauguration ceremony for state coordinators was held in Nasarawa State. During the event, 28 state coordinators reportedly took an oath of office.
The Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, attended the inauguration ceremony and was decorated by George as a grand patron of the Made in Nigeria Project Office. Pictures from the event were also shared on social media by Orduen Andrew Okon, the state coordinator for Benue State The development has raised further questions about how extensively the office was able to engage state governments and public officials before concerns were raised about its legal status and recognition.
Anambra Government Explains Its Involvement:-
The Anambra State Government has since reacted to the controversy surrounding the office.
Chiamaka Nnake, Secretary to the Anambra State Government and the state’s coordinator of the agency, said Governor Chukwuma Soludo nominated her for the position after the state received a letter signed by George.
“Following the nominations, Focal Persons from the 36 states have been in a WhatsApp group engaging on issues relating to the activities of the office.
“More recently, the same office wrote to the State requesting that Anambra host the South East Made-in-Nigeria Fair.
“The request was approved, and an inaugural meeting was held about two weeks ago, with the National Coordinator in attendance.
“Since then, the State Committee has been working on preparations for the Fair, which is scheduled to take place from 2nd – 5th December 2026,” she said.
Nnake maintained that she had no knowledge of, or connection to, activities outside the official engagements involving the office.
Who Is Nwabueze Buchi?
George, also known as Nwabueze Buchi, presented himself publicly as a businessman, lawyer and advocate involved in trade, economic development and social initiatives.
On his LinkedIn page, Buchi described himself as the founder and president of the Globe Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the Globe Economic and Trade Development Council.
He was also said to “direct corporate initiatives” as the chairman/CEO of FOWCOM Limited, “specialising in construction and real estate asset management”.
According to information attributed to him, Buchi obtained a law degree from Godfrey Okoye University and a Master of Laws degree from the National Open University of Nigeria. He also listed advanced professional legal practice training at Arden University among his qualifications. He described himself as a former United Nations Millennium Development Goals ambassador and claimed that he received a UN Medal of Honour for his “activism through the Global Family Funds on Education, which funds schooling for underprivileged children”.
Buchi also described himself as a published author on family and social reforms, “including Failed Fathers and The Strong Woman Still Struggles.”
On his role in the now-controversial Made in Nigeria Project Office, Buchi said his mandate focused on “standardising local products and boosting Made-in-Nigeria brands globally”.
However, the unfolding investigation has now cast a shadow over the entire operation, with questions mounting over how an office described by investigators as unrecognised was able to communicate with state governments, secure the nomination of dozens of coordinators, organise a public inauguration ceremony and allegedly involve officials connected with the federal bureaucracy.
With President Tinubu ordering Buchi’s arrest and the ICPC investigation continuing, attention is now likely to shift to the officials, institutions and state actors who interacted with the project, as authorities work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the operation and how far its activities extended across the country.