Awka, August 23, 2026 — The Anambra State Government has disclosed that it was misled by a purported federal agency, the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, into planning to host a major fair scheduled for December 2026.
The agency, which claimed to operate under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), was recently exposed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as a fictitious entity operating without presidential authorisation.
In a clarification statement issued on Saturday, Secretary to the Anambra State Government (SSG), Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, explained how the state became involved after her photograph appeared online identifying her as a state coordinator or focal person for the organisation.
“I wish to clarify the circumstances surrounding the trending news concerning the purported ‘Made-in-Nigeria Agency,’ in which my photograph has been displayed and I have been identified as one of the State Coordinators,” Nnake said.
She stated that in January 2026, Governor Chukwuma Soludo received a formal letter from the Made-in-Nigeria Office, which presented itself as operating under the OSGF, requesting the nomination of a State Focal Person. In February 2026, the governor nominated her for the role.
More recently, the same office wrote 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. The State Committee had since been preparing for the event, planned for December 2 to 5, 2026.
Nnake emphasised that the state government had no reason at the time to doubt the organisation’s legitimacy, given the official correspondence and its claimed affiliation with the OSGF. She added that beyond these official interactions, she had no knowledge of or involvement in any other activities attributed to the office.
The ICPC earlier revealed that the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office had been illegally allocated space within the OSGF premises and operated without proper authorisation.
Its promoter, identified as George Buchi Nwabueze (also known by several aliases including George Nathan Nwabueze), built an elaborate structure that included a national coordinator, zonal directors, coordinators in about 20 states (including Anambra), and even claimed representatives in the United States and China.
President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and suspended three permanent secretaries to aid the ongoing investigation. The discovery forms part of a broader probe that has uncovered other unauthorised entities.
Anambra’s experience highlights how the purported agency engaged state governments and public institutions by presenting official-looking correspondence and claiming federal backing, enabling it to advance plans for events such as the National Products Expo before the ICPC’s findings came to light.
The Anambra State Government has now distanced itself from further engagement with the entity following the exposure. Investigations by the ICPC continue.
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