RismadarVoice Reporters
July 4, 2026
Fresh controversy has emerged over the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) following the release of official documents indicating that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) processed requests submitted in the agency’s name months before the Presidency declared it non-existent.
The documents reportedly show that the SGF’s office acknowledged and forwarded a request for office accommodation submitted by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as the Director-General of the council.
The correspondence, dated November 21, 2024, was signed by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri, on behalf of the SGF and transmitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for consideration.
According to the documents, Adeyemi had earlier written to the SGF requesting office space from recovered Federal Government properties, describing the PFIPC as an agency responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and coordinating investment promotion activities across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Registry records reportedly show that the request was received by the SGF’s office on November 12, 2024, before it was forwarded to the EFCC nine days later alongside similar requests from other government institutions.
The development comes amid the ongoing prosecution of Adeyemi, who is accused of operating a fictitious government agency, forging presidential appointment documents and falsely presenting himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC.
Prosecutors also allege that he opened multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies and conducted official engagements with diplomats and public officials under the banner of the council.
Earlier this week, the Presidency maintained that the PFIPC never existed, insisting that Adeyemi had fraudulently created the organisation and forged documents to give it legitimacy.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has listed Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, among 11 witnesses expected to testify in the criminal case before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Adeyemi and two other suspects currently at large are facing charges bordering on conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and related offences allegedly committed between 2024 and 2025.
Police investigators claim the case began after the Office of the Chief of Staff alerted authorities to forged presidential appointment letters bearing falsified signatures, official seals and reference numbers.
Investigators further alleged that Adeyemi wrote to several government institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeking diplomatic support for visa processing on behalf of individuals he claimed were staff of the council.
Searches conducted by investigators reportedly led to the recovery of forged appointment letters, official letterheads and documents bearing presidential insignia from the suspect’s office and residence.
Further checks at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja reportedly found no office occupied by the PFIPC, while officials and civil servants contacted during the visit said they had no knowledge of the agency’s existence.
The Presidency has vowed to identify and prosecute any public officials who may have collaborated with Adeyemi in operating the alleged fake agency.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said investigators from the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and the EFCC had been directed to uncover the full extent of the alleged network behind the scheme.
Ajayi maintained that although weaknesses within government institutions may have allowed the operation to continue for some time, the same institutions eventually detected the alleged fraud and initiated investigations.
Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), have called for an independent investigation into the controversy.
The parties also demanded that Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila step aside pending the outcome of the probe, arguing that the allegations raise serious questions about accountability and institutional integrity.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has also called for an independent investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), urging authorities to examine allegations relating to budgetary allocations, bank accounts and the operations of the alleged agency.
In addition, a coalition of civil society organisations has demanded a transparent probe into the matter, warning that it may stage peaceful protests if no concrete action is taken within seven days.
The coalition stressed that all allegations should be subjected to due process to safeguard public confidence in government institutions and ensure accountability.
