The Secretary to the Anambra State Government, Chiamaka Nnake, has clarified her alleged connection with a purported federal agency operating from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), following revelations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that the organisation was allegedly fake.
Nnake said her involvement with the organisation was limited strictly to official communications she received through the Anambra State Government after she was nominated as the state’s “focal person” for the initiative.
The clarification followed growing public attention after her photograph and name appeared on materials associated with the Made-in-Nigeria initiative, with Nnake identified as one of the state coordinators.
In a statement issued late Saturday and titled, “Clarification on the ‘Made-in-Nigeria Agency’ and my role as State Focal Person,” the SSG explained that her involvement began after the Anambra State Government received an official communication purportedly from an office operating under the OSGF.
According to Nnake, the communication was received in January 2026 and requested that the state nominate a focal person to coordinate activities relating to the initiative.
She said Governor Chukwuma Soludo subsequently nominated her for the position in February 2026.
“In January 2026, the Governor received a letter from the Made-in-Nigeria Office, said to be under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, requesting the nomination of a State Focal Person,” she explained.
“In response, the Governor, in February 2026, nominated me as the State Focal Person for Anambra State.”
Nnake said that following the nomination of representatives by the various state governments, focal persons from all 36 states were added to a WhatsApp group where they communicated about the activities and plans of the organisation.
She stressed that her participation was based on what she believed at the time to be a legitimate government initiative operating under the authority of the Federal Government.
The Anambra SSG further disclosed that the organisation subsequently approached the state government with a request for Anambra State to host the South-East edition of a Made-in-Nigeria Fair.
According to her, the request was considered and approved by the state government.
She said an inaugural meeting was subsequently held approximately two weeks before her statement was issued, with the National Coordinator of the initiative in attendance.
“More recently, the same office wrote to the State requesting that Anambra host the South-East Made-in-Nigeria Fair,” Nnake said.
“The request was approved, and an inaugural meeting was held about two weeks ago, with the National Coordinator in attendance.”
Following the approval, she said, the state committee began preparations for the proposed fair, which was scheduled to hold in Anambra from December 2 to 5, 2026.
The event was expected to showcase locally manufactured products and promote Nigerian businesses as part of the broader Made-in-Nigeria campaign.
However, the discovery by the ICPC that the organisation was allegedly operating as a fake federal agency has now cast uncertainty over the planned event.
Nnake said the Anambra State Government had been acting on the understanding that it was dealing with a legitimate office affiliated with the Federal Government.
Her statement therefore appeared aimed at distancing herself and the state government from any activities allegedly carried out by the organisation beyond the official engagements known to them.
She said she had no knowledge of any other operations, claims or activities attributed to the purported agency apart from the communications and meetings involving her office.
“Beyond these official interactions and engagements, she has no knowledge of, involvement in, or connection with any other activities, claims, or developments attributed to the said office,” she stated.
Nnake further emphasised that any activities associated with the organisation outside the official interactions she had described were completely outside her knowledge and involvement.
“I therefore wish to make it clear that anything beyond the above-mentioned official interactions is entirely outside my knowledge and involvement,” she added.
The clarification comes amid an ongoing controversy surrounding the purported Made-in-Nigeria office and its alleged activities.
The ICPC had reportedly raised concerns about the organisation after discovering it during an investigation into another purported federal body. The anti-corruption agency questioned the legitimacy and authorisation of the organisation and its operations.
The development has generated questions about how the organisation was able to communicate with state governments, secure official meetings and establish state-level structures if, as alleged by the ICPC, it was not a legitimate federal agency.
Nnake’s explanation provides insight into how the purported organisation interacted with state authorities.
According to her account, the communication appeared sufficiently official for the Anambra State Government to engage with it, nominate a focal person and consider its proposal to host a regional event.
The fact that the organisation reportedly maintained a network of focal persons across all 36 states also suggests that its activities extended beyond a single state.
However, Nnake maintained that her participation was strictly limited to the responsibilities assigned to her by the Anambra State Government and the activities communicated to her in that capacity.
She did not indicate any prior knowledge of allegations concerning the legitimacy of the organisation or suggest that the state government had reason to question the authenticity of the correspondence it received.
The controversy has also raised broader concerns about how purported government agencies and initiatives can gain access to public institutions and officials.
For state governments, communications bearing the appearance of federal authority can ordinarily trigger official engagement, particularly where the initiative is presented as part of a national development programme.
The Anambra SSG’s statement therefore appears to seek to establish that the state’s involvement was based on formal communications and was undertaken in good faith.
The proposed South-East Made-in-Nigeria Fair had been incorporated into the state’s preparations before the ICPC revelations emerged.
With the status of the organisation now under scrutiny, the future of the December event remains uncertain.
Nnake’s clarification also underscores the importance of verifying the authority and legal status of organisations claiming to operate under federal institutions, particularly when they seek cooperation, funding, appointments or participation from state governments.
For now, the Anambra SSG has firmly stated that her involvement was limited to her nomination as State Focal Person and her participation in activities communicated through the purported Made-in-Nigeria Office.
She has also sought to distance herself from any other claims or activities linked to the organisation, stressing that she had no knowledge of or involvement in them.
The development is likely to attract further attention as the ICPC continues its investigation and seeks to establish the circumstances under which the purported agency operated and interacted with public officials across the country.
Until the investigation is concluded, Nnake’s account suggests that the Anambra State Government’s involvement with the initiative was based on its understanding that it was dealing with an authorised federal office.
Her statement was therefore intended to clarify her role, protect the integrity of the state government’s involvement and make clear that any activities beyond the official engagements she identified were undertaken without her knowledge or participation.
