The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has summoned the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to explain what his office did after it was alerted to the activities of the organisation in October 2025.
The committee also insisted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, must appear personally before it to explain issues arising from the ministry’s submissions concerning the council.
CityNews reports that the decisions were taken during the committee’s sitting on Tuesday.
The committee, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, is investigating how the council, which the Presidency has said was not established by the Federal Government, allegedly operated across government institutions and secured funding in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
The summons followed revelations by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, that the ministry alerted the Office of the National Security Adviser about the activities of the PFIPC after discovering discrepancies in documents submitted by the organisation.
Ahmed appeared before the committee on behalf of the Foreign Affairs Minister.
He told lawmakers that the alleged Director-General of the council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, approached the ministry three times seeking its support and endorsement for a proposed World Investment Summit in Nigeria.
According to him, the requests were made on June 26, 2025, August 5, 2025, and June 5, 2026.
Ahmed said the ministry rejected all the requests after carrying out due diligence and discovering inconsistencies in the documents presented by the organisation.
He said the ministry subsequently wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser on October 16, 2025, seeking clarification on Adeyemi’s claim that he was the Director-General of the PFIPC.
NSA Reportedly Declared Council Unknown
The Permanent Secretary said the ONSA responded to the ministry’s letter on November 26, 2025.
According to him, the security office disclosed that enquiries made with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President showed that Adeyemi was not known to any office of the Federal Government.
Ahmed also told the lawmakers that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no official relationship with the PFIPC.
He said the ministry did not participate in any diplomatic engagement, bilateral or multilateral discussions involving the council.
He added that the ministry did not facilitate foreign investors, partners or delegations for the organisation.
According to him, there was also no record of any Memorandum of Understanding or agreement signed between the council and any foreign government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ahmed further said no Nigerian embassy or diplomatic mission abroad had any official dealings with the PFIPC because the ministry never issued any directive recognising the council.
“Flowing from the above, I wish to respectfully conclude by saying that the Ministry has never had any official interaction or engagement with the PFIPC or its alleged Director-General,” he said.
Reacting to the presentation, the committee chairman, Gagdi, questioned why stronger action was not taken after the National Security Adviser reportedly confirmed that the council was not known to the Federal Government.
He said the committee needed to know what the security authorities did after receiving the report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gagdi 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.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received correspondence from this agency under investigation, suspected foul play and discrepancies, and wrote to the National Security Adviser.
“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.”
Following the development, the committee directed Ribadu to appear before it on Thursday to explain the steps taken by his office after the ministry’s alert.
The lawmakers also insisted that the Foreign Affairs Minister must personally appear before the committee.
Presidency Disowns PFIPC
Naija News reports that the controversy surrounding the PFIPC began after the Presidency disowned the council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, stating that neither organisation was established by the Federal Government.
The Presidency subsequently accused Prince Adeyemi of allegedly using forged government documents to secure recognition from public institutions.
The House committee is now investigating how the council allegedly gained recognition in various government agencies and how funds were allocated to it in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite its alleged lack of legal backing.
