The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the activities of the unestablished Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has summoned National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to explain actions taken by his office regarding the fake agency. The committee has also requested that Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu appear in person.
Ministry Distances Itself from PFIPC
The summons follows a submission by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed, on Tuesday. Ahmed told lawmakers that the ministry never recognised or had official dealings with the PFIPC, insisting that both the council and its alleged Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, were unknown to the federal government.
Ahmed stated that Adeyemi approached the ministry on three occasions—26 June 2025, 5 August 2025, and 5 June 2026—seeking collaboration and endorsement for a proposed World Investment Summit in Nigeria. In correspondence, Adeyemi identified himself as the Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.
The ministry rejected all three requests after due diligence, citing inconsistencies in documents and doubts over the authenticity of the council and its leadership. The ministry subsequently wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on 16 October 2025 seeking clarification. ONSA replied on 26 November 2025, after inquiries with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, confirming that Adeyemi was unknown to any federal government office.
No Official Engagement with PFIPC
Ahmed further told lawmakers that the ministry never participated in any diplomatic engagement involving the PFIPC, did not facilitate any foreign investor or delegation on behalf of the council, and signed no Memorandum of Understanding or investment agreement through it. Nigerian missions abroad were never directed to engage with the organisation because the ministry never recognised it as a legitimate government institution.
Apart from correspondence already submitted to the committee, Ahmed said the ministry had no official records relating to the PFIPC and had never collaborated with the council or Adeyemi in any official capacity.
Committee Chairman Expresses Concern
Reacting to the revelations, Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) expressed concern that ONSA had confirmed as far back as November 2025 that the PFIPC was not a recognised government institution, yet questions remained over subsequent actions. Gagdi said it was the committee's responsibility to determine whether security agencies took appropriate steps after establishing that the council had no legal existence.
Consequently, the committee summoned Ribadu to appear on Thursday at 12:00 noon to explain measures taken after his office confirmed the PFIPC was not recognised. The committee also directed Odumegwu-Ojukwu to appear personally for further clarification.
Gagdi explained that the committee wanted ONSA to account for actions taken after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised concerns. Once ONSA established that the PFIPC did not exist as a government institution, it ought to have taken appropriate action, and the committee would determine whether necessary steps were taken to prevent the organisation from continuing its activities.
Earlier Testimonies from Other Agencies
The testimony adds to a growing list of government institutions that have distanced themselves from the controversial council. On Monday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) told the committee that two foreign currency accounts opened in connection with the PFIPC had remained inactive since creation. CBN representatives said the accounts never received deposits or recorded transactions, stressing that the bank merely processed account opening in line with regulatory requirements and had no role in establishing or recognising the organisation.
Similarly, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Didi Walson-Jack, denied any knowledge of the council, stating it was never established through procedures required for creating federal government agencies. Walson-Jack told lawmakers that no request was ever received from the Presidency, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, or any other authorised institution for the creation of the PFIPC. Her office neither approved the council's establishment nor issued any organisational structure, staffing schedule, or appointment recognising Adeyemi as its Director-General.
