ABUJA, October 6, 2025 – The Federal High Court, Abuja, has dismissed an application by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, to stop the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) from releasing his academic records.
In a ruling delivered on September 22, 2025, Justice Hausa Yilwa refused to grant an interim injunction as sought by the Minister through an ex parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025.
Nnaji had asked the court to restrain UNN from “releasing or tampering with” his academic records. After reviewing the motion, Justice Yilwa ruled that while the Minister had a legitimate interest in the matter, his request for an injunction could not stand.
“I find that the applicant has sufficient interest in the matter, and the application is partly meritorious,” Justice Yilwa ruled.
“Accordingly, prayers 1, 2, and 3 are granted, while prayer 4, which sought an injunction, is declined.”
The Judge further clarified that the approved reliefs should not be interpreted as restraining the university from performing its lawful duties.
“Prayer 4 is declined. Having been refused, the granting of reliefs 1–3 shall not serve as injunctive reliefs against any of the parties. That’s the order of the court,” Justice Yilwa added.
The ruling comes amid a dispute between Nnaji and the University of Nigeria over his academic status.
In a letter dated October 2, 2025, UNN’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, maintained that the Minister did not complete his studies at the institution.
“From our records, we cannot confirm that Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985,” Ortuanya wrote.
“There are no records showing that he completed his studies.”
The university also stated that it could not have issued Nnaji any certificate since he did not complete his program – a position it said was consistent with an earlier letter sent to the Public Complaints Commission in May 2025.
In his court filings, Nnaji admitted that he had not collected his degree certificate but insisted that the university had once confirmed his graduation.
“Even though I am yet to collect my certificate from UNN due to the non-cooperative attitude of the university authorities, the institution had issued a letter dated December 21, 2023, to an online news platform confirming that I graduated in July 1985 with a Second Class (Lower Division) in Microbiology/Biochemistry,” Nnaji stated.
The court’s decision leaves the University of Nigeria free to act within its administrative powers regarding the Minister’s academic records pending further proceedings on the substantive case.
