Nigeria's Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Naji, has resigned days after allegations surfaced that he forged his academic credentials.

The minister resigned after a newspaper investigation revealed that he had presented false academic credentials to President Bola Tinubu when he was running for office in 2023.

Presidential spokesman Biya Ongwang confirmed the minister's resignation on his official Twitter account on Tuesday, citing the minister's "targeting of defamation by his political rival."

The minister has denied the fraud allegations against him, and has repeatedly stated that he graduated from the University of Nigeria with a degree in microbiology/biochemistry.

The fake diploma allegations have sparked public outrage in Nigeria following the publication of a two-year investigation by the newspaper Premium Times.

Last week, the university said it does not have records of the Bachelor of Science degree the minister claimed he graduated with in 1985.

It is not uncommon for ministers to be suspended or dismissed in Nigeria, and Naji is the second minister to resign since President Tinubu came to power in 2023.