PFIPC Probe: Foreign Affairs Ministry says it never recognised council, alleged DG unknown to FG

…Reps summon NSA, insist Foreign Affairs Minister appears before panel

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday told the House of Representatives that it never recognised or engaged with the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), revealing that security checks had established that Adeniyi Adeyemi, the council’s alleged Director-General, was unknown to the Federal Government.

The position was presented by Dunoma Ahmed, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, who represented Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the hearing of the House Ad-Hoc Committee probing the unestablished Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), chaired by Yusuf Gagdi.

Ahmed told lawmakers that Prince Adeyemi, who introduced himself as Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), wrote to the Ministry on June 26, 2025, August 5, 2025 and June 5, 2026 requesting its support to organise a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.

According to him, the Ministry rejected all three requests after conducting due diligence, citing inconsistencies in the documents submitted and doubts over the legitimacy of both the council and its purported leadership.

The Permanent Secretary explained that “the Ministry subsequently sought clarification from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) through a letter dated October 16, 2025 on the status of Prince Adeyemi as Director-General of the PFIPC.

“ONSA responded on November 26, 2025, stating that enquiries made through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President showed that Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi was not known to any arm of the Federal Government.”

Ahmed further stated that “the Ministry never participated in any bilateral or multilateral engagement involving the PFIPC, nor did it facilitate foreign investors, international partners or delegations on behalf of the council.”

He added that no Memorandum of Understanding, treaty or investment agreement had ever been executed through the PFIPC, while Nigerian missions abroad had no dealings with the council because the Ministry never recognised or authorised its operations.

He said the Ministry had no records concerning the PFIPC beyond the correspondence already submitted to the committee and maintained that it never collaborated with or officially acknowledged the council or its alleged Director-General.

The disclosures prompted concern from the committee chairman, Yusuf Gagdi, who questioned why stronger action was not taken after the National Security Adviser reportedly established in November 2025 that both the council and its alleged Director-General were not recognised by the Federal Government.

The committee thereafter invited Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, to appear before it on Thursday at noon to explain the steps taken after his office confirmed that the PFIPC was not a lawful government institution.

Lawmakers also maintained that Foreign Affairs Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu must personally appear before the committee to provide additional explanations arising from the Ministry’s submissions.

Explaining the decision, Gagdi said the panel wanted to determine what action the nation’s security apparatus took after concerns were raised about the authenticity of the organisation.

“It is now the duty of the Committee to move further and invite the Office of the National Security Adviser to come and answer the very important question raised by Honourable Abubakar Fulata that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a letter from this agency under investigation, whether it exists or it doesn’t exist.

“What have you done as an office that has the power and capacity to carry out further investigation in respect of this matter? He is to appear before this Committee because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received correspondence from the suspended Director-General and suspected foul play and discrepancies.

“The NSA responded that it is an illegal agency. What has the Office of the National Security Adviser done as a security institution after that discovery?

“If they discovered that the agency does not exist, then appropriate action ought to have been taken. They should come before this Committee and explain the actions they have taken.”