House Committee Issues Final Warning to Defaulting Govt Agencies over Fake PFIPC

Adedayo Akinwale and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the activities surrounding the alleged establishment and operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), has expressed its disappointment in the failure of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)  to honour the Committee’s invitations.

This was as the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has dissociated itself from the controversial PFIPC, stating that it had never officially engaged with the organisation or its purported Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, who security authorities reportedly confirmed was not known to the federal government.

The House Committee in a statement yesterday said it viewed the conduct as a serious affront to the constitutional oversight powers of the House of Representatives.

“It must be clearly understood that invitations issued by a duly constituted Committee of the House of Representatives are not matters of discretion.

“They are issued pursuant to the constitutional powers vested in the National Assembly under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Compliance is therefore a legal obligation, not an act of courtesy.

“Accordingly, the Committee hereby issues this as the final notice to all defaulting Ministries, Departments and Agencies. They are directed to appear before the Committee on Thursday with all relevant officers and documents requested in the Committee’s correspondence.

“Let there be no misunderstanding: Thursday is the final opportunity for every defaulting agency to comply voluntarily with the lawful directives of this Committee.

“Any Ministry, Department or Agency that fails to appear without lawful justification will leave the Committee with no alternative but to invoke every constitutional and statutory power available to the House of Representatives to compel compliance and ensure accountability,” it stated.

The Committee added that it would not hesitate to recommend and pursue every sanction permitted by law against any person or institution that deliberately obstructs or frustrates this investigation.

Foreign Affairs Ministry Disowns Agency

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dissociated itself from the controversial PFIPC, stating that it had never officially engaged with the organisation or its purported Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.

The disclosure was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ambassador Dr. Dunoma Umar Ahmed, who appeared before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee, chaired by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, investigating the alleged establishment of the agency.

Ahmed, who represented the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said Adeyemi, who presented himself as the DG of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the PFIPC, contacted the Ministry on three occasions—June 26, 2025; August 5, 2025; and June 5, 2026 to seek the Ministry’s cooperation and endorsement for the organisation of a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.

Ahmed explained that the Ministry rejected each of the three requests following due diligence conducted on the submissions.

He said the decision was based on inconsistencies and discrepancies identified in the letters and documents presented by the self-styled Director-General, in addition to concerns regarding the authenticity of the council and the legitimacy of its purported leadership.

The Permanent Secretary further disclosed that, following the concerns raised, the Ministry, on October 16, 2025, formally wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) seeking clarification on whether Adeyemi was indeed the recognised DG of the PFIPC.

He said the ONSA responded on November 26, 2025, informing the Ministry that inquiries conducted with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President revealed that Adeyemi was unknown to the offices of the Federal Government.

Ahmed also told the lawmakers that the Foreign Affairs Ministry had never taken part in any diplomatic engagement, bilateral or multilateral meeting involving the PFIPC.

He added that the Ministry had not facilitated any foreign investors, international partners or delegations on behalf of the purported council, adding that no Memorandum of Understanding, treaty or investment agreement had been entered into with any foreign government through the PFIPC.