The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has distanced itself from the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), informing the House of Representatives that the organisation was never recognised by the Federal Government and had no official dealings with its alleged Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
The ministry made the disclosure on Tuesday before the House Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the legality, operations and activities of the PFIPC, following allegations that the body operated without statutory approval or government authorisation while presenting itself as a presidential initiative.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, who represented the Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, told lawmakers that the ministry rejected several requests from the organisation after conducting due diligence that raised questions about its authenticity.
Ahmed disclosed that Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as the 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 for a proposed World Investment Summit in Nigeria.
He said the ministry declined the requests after identifying inconsistencies in the correspondence and concerns surrounding the legitimacy of the council and its leadership.
According to him, the ministry subsequently wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on October 16, 2025, seeking clarification on the status of Adeyemi and the PFIPC.
Ahmed told the committee that ONSA responded on November 26, 2025, stating that investigations conducted through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President revealed that Adeyemi was unknown to the Federal Government.
The Permanent Secretary further stated that the ministry never participated in any bilateral or multilateral engagements involving the PFIPC, nor did it facilitate meetings between the organisation and foreign governments, investors or international partners.
He added that no Memorandum of Understanding, treaty or investment agreement was executed through the council, while Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad had no interaction with the PFIPC because the ministry never authorised its activities.
“Beyond the correspondence already submitted to the committee, the ministry has no official records relating to the PFIPC,” Ahmed said, insisting that the ministry had “never recognised, collaborated with or engaged the council or its alleged Director-General in any official capacity.”
Following the submission, the committee chairman, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, expressed concern over the continued activities of the organisation despite ONSA’s earlier confirmation that it was not a recognised government institution.
Gagdi said the committee was determined to establish whether relevant security agencies took necessary action after being alerted to the alleged irregularities surrounding the PFIPC.
As part of the investigation, the committee summoned the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to appear before it on Thursday to explain the steps taken by his office after determining that the PFIPC was not a recognised government agency.
The lawmakers also insisted that the Foreign Affairs Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, appear personally before the committee to provide further clarification on issues arising from the ministry’s presentation.
Gagdi said the appearance of the NSA was necessary to determine whether appropriate measures were taken after ONSA established that the organisation was not authorised by the Federal Government.
The House had earlier constituted the ad hoc committee following allegations that individuals linked to the PFIPC posed as representatives of the Presidency while engaging prospective investors, despite questions over the council’s legal status.
The investigation is expected to determine whether any government officials or institutions facilitated the activities of the organisation and recommend appropriate actions based on its findings.
