NSA Declared PFIPC Illegal in 2025 Letter, Reps Hear as Ribadu, Bianca, Oyedele Summoned Over ₦1.3bn Budget Scandal
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has heard that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) officially declared the council and its self-acclaimed Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, unknown to the Federal Government as far back as November 2025.
The revelation emerged on Tuesday during the committee’s investigative hearing when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, disclosed that the ministry received a formal response from the ONSA after seeking clarification on the legal status of the council.
According to Ahmed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs became suspicious after Prince Adeyemi approached the ministry on three separate occasions requesting official endorsement and collaboration to organise a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.
He explained that the ministry received requests dated June 26, 2025, August 5, 2025, and June 5, 2026, but declined to act on them because of inconsistencies observed in the correspondence and the need to conduct due diligence.
The Permanent Secretary told lawmakers that the ministry subsequently wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser on October 16, 2025, requesting verification of Prince Adeyemi’s claim to be Director-General of the PFIPC.
He said the ONSA replied on November 26, 2025, informing the ministry that inquiries made with both the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President confirmed that neither Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew nor the PFIPC was recognised by any office of the Federal Government.
Ahmed further testified that based on the security adviser’s response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to collaborate with the council or endorse any of its proposed activities.
He also informed the committee that the ministry never participated in any diplomatic engagements, bilateral or multilateral negotiations, or investment promotion activities organised by the PFIPC. According to him, no memorandum of understanding, treaty or investment agreement linked to the council exists within the ministry’s records, while Nigerian foreign missions were never instructed to engage with the organisation.
Reacting to the testimony, Chairman of the investigative panel, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, expressed concern that despite the ONSA’s determination in November 2025 that the council was not a recognised government institution, the organisation allegedly continued to operate and interact with government agencies.
The committee questioned what concrete actions were taken by security agencies after the ONSA established that the council lacked legal recognition.
To clarify the matter, the panel summoned National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to appear before it and explain the actions taken by his office after confirming the council’s status. The committee also directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, to personally appear before lawmakers to address issues arising from the ministry’s submissions.
In addition, the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, and other key government officials are expected to provide explanations regarding the alleged operations of the council and its inclusion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, where it reportedly received an allocation of ₦1.3 billion.
Gagdi said the committee was determined to establish how an organisation allegedly disowned by key federal institutions was able to engage with foreign embassies, seek official endorsements and appear in the national budget.
He stressed that all invited public officials must appear personally before the committee rather than sending representatives, assuring Nigerians that the investigation would be conducted professionally, transparently and without prejudice.
Earlier, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, denied allocating office accommodation to the council, while a representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed that although two domiciliary accounts in United States dollars and British pounds were opened in the name of the PFIPC, they were never activated because the account-opening process was not completed.
The House panel maintains that its investigation is aimed at determining how the controversial council allegedly operated within government circles despite repeated assertions by major federal institutions that it had no legal existence, while identifying those responsible for any breach of due process and ensuring accountability in the management of public resources.