"No Official Relationship With PFIPC" Ministry of Foreign Affairs Claims As Reps Widen Probe

The House of Representatives has inaugurated a 12-member ad hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the establishment and operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC and the process through which it was included in the 2026 budget.

‎

‎It will also probe the alleged allocation of 1.3 billion Naira to what lawmakers described as an illegal government agency in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

‎

‎Speaking at the inauguration, Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, said the investigation was not politically motivated but aimed at establishing the facts surrounding the allocation.

‎

‎The Ad Hoc committee summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to explain how the council allegedly operated despite concerns over its legal status.

‎

‎The decision followed testimony by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Dunoma Umar Ahmed, who told lawmakers that the ministry had no official relationship with the council and had raised concerns over its legitimacy after receiving correspondence from its leadership.

‎

‎The ministry's Permanent Secretary,Mr Ahmed testified before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Tuesday with a letter dated July 21, 2026, he disclosed that Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, approached the ministry on three occasions seeking its collaboration and endorsement to organise a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.

‎

‎According to him, the requests were received on June 26, 2025, August 5, 2025, and June 5, 2026, but were not approved

‎

‎

‎The ministry added that it declined the requests because of discrepancies observed in the correspondence and the ongoing investigation into the legitimacy of the council and its alleged Director-General.

‎

‎The permanent secretary further disclosed that the ministry wrote to the Office of the NSA on October 16, 2025, seeking clarification on the status of Prince Adeyemi and the council.

‎

‎According to the ministry, the NSA responded on November 26, 2025, stating that enquiries made with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the Chief of Staff (OCoS) to the President showed that “Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew is unknown to any office of the Federal Government.”

‎

‎The ministry also informed the lawmakers that it never participated in any diplomatic engagements organised by the PFIPC and had no official dealings with the council or its leadership.

‎

‎

‎

‎

‎