PFIPC Scandal: Ministry Disowns Council as Reps Summon Ribadu

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday distanced itself from the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, telling the House of Representatives that it neither recognised the council nor had any official dealings with its alleged Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.

The disclosure came during the resumed hearing of the House Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the legality and activities of the PFIPC, an organisation lawmakers are probing over allegations that it operated without any legal backing or official recognition by the Federal Government.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, who represented the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, told the committee that the ministry rejected repeated requests by the organisation after due diligence raised questions about its authenticity.

The committee is chaired by the member representing Kanam/Kanke/Pankshin Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Mr Yusuf Gagdi.

Presenting the ministry’s position, Ahmed said Adeyemi, who presented himself as Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the PFIPC, wrote to the ministry on three occasions—June 26, 2025; August 5, 2025; and June 5, 2026—seeking collaboration and endorsement to organise a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.

He said the ministry declined all three requests after identifying inconsistencies in the correspondence and raising concerns over the legitimacy of both the council and its purported leadership.

According to the Permanent Secretary, the ministry subsequently wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser on October 16, 2025, requesting clarification on the status of Adeyemi and the PFIPC.

He said the ONSA responded on November 26, 2025, informing the ministry 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 established that Adeyemi was unknown to the Federal Government.

Ahmed further told lawmakers that the ministry never participated in any bilateral or multilateral engagement involving the PFIPC and did not facilitate meetings between the council and any foreign governments, investors or international partners.

He added that no Memorandum of Understanding, treaty or investment agreement was signed through the PFIPC, while no Nigerian mission abroad had any dealings with the organisation because the ministry never recognised or authorised its activities.

According to him, apart from the correspondence already submitted to the committee, “the ministry has no official records relating to the PFIPC.”

He maintained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had “never recognised, collaborated with or engaged the council or its alleged Director-General in any official capacity.”

Reacting to the submission, the Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, expressed concern that despite ONSA’s confirmation in November 2025 that the PFIPC was not a recognised government institution, questions remained over what actions were subsequently taken by the country’s security agencies.

He said the committee had a responsibility to establish whether appropriate measures were taken to prevent the organisation from continuing its activities.

Consequently, the committee summoned the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to appear before it on Thursday at 12 noon to explain the actions taken by his office after confirming that the PFIPC was not recognised by the Federal Government.

The panel also insisted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, must personally appear before the committee to provide further clarification on issues arising from the ministry’s submission.

Explaining the decision, Gagdi said the committee needed to determine whether ONSA acted on the information supplied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said, “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.”

The House had earlier constituted the ad-hoc committee to investigate the activities of the PFIPC following allegations that individuals operating under the council’s name held themselves out as representatives of the presidency in dealings with prospective investors despite questions over the council’s legal status.

The ongoing investigation is expected to determine whether any public officials or institutions aided the activities of the organisation and to recommend appropriate legislative or legal action where necessary.