Fegho Umunubo, the Special Assistant to the Office of Vice President, Kashim Shettima on Digital and Creative Economy has reportedly been suspended for breaching a legal contract linked to the much-publicised ₦5 billion Creative Fund initiative.
eelive.ng learnt that the suspension comes after award-winning Nigerian filmmaker and author, Arese Ugwu, had publicly accused the presidential aide of failing to honor financial commitments after promising funding support for her productions.
Ugwu, known for creating the popular TV series The Smart Money Woman, via her verified Instagram on Saturday narrated her experience, revealing that she was introduced to Umunubo shortly after the launch of the ₦5 billion Creative Fund in partnership with Providus Bank in December 2023.
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“They had already disbursed ₦1.5 billion to four actors and producers, so I felt like this was really going to happen,” Ugwu recounted.
“However, after submitting all requirements, communication suddenly went silent. No feedback on approvals or rejections, just vague assurances to be patient.”
Ugwu further alleged that when her team sought sponsorship for the premiere of The Smart Money Woman on YouTube, Umunubo’s office agreed to provide ₦5 million in support. However, she claimed the payment structure was unfavorable and, ultimately, the funds were not fully honored despite extensive publicity that gave the impression she had received far larger support.
“He got all the value, press mentions, photos, branding, interviews and people thought he gave me ₦100 million when in reality, I only agreed to ₦5 million. To date, the commitments remain unfulfilled,” she said.
The filmmaker voiced frustration over recurring unfulfilled government promises in the creative sector.
“I’m so tired of these announcements from the government claiming to inject millions into the creative economy, and then zilch! @feghox is still flying around the world masquerading as a political appointee, making false promises, while unable to honor the legal agreements he signed on behalf of the Vice President,” she wrote.
Ugwu also questioned the whereabouts of the ₦5 billion Creative Fund, asking whether the funds were actually used to support the industry or used for plane tickets and grant applications.
“The ₦5bn injection that was supposed to act as a stopgap before the IDICE fund went live, where did it go? Plane tickets? The grant applications? I have costs to cover, all I want to know is who is going to pay me now that his office has been shut down, and he had the nerve to block me,” she stated.
However, in a new development, a presidential source told QEDNG that Umunubo was asked to step aside amid allegations of abuse of office.
“He has been suspended for more than two months now. Not sure he is coming back,” a Presidency source said.
One of the allegations against him is that he signed agreements he was not authorised to sign on behalf of the Nigerian government.
