- The Presidency says the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) is a fictitious body with no legal basis and has ordered the ICPC to investigate its activities within 30 days
- Investigators will examine allegations including forged appointment letters, false claims of presidential appointments, attempts to obtain diplomatic recognition, and the opening of bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies
- The probe will also look into reports that the PFIPC appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite not being a recognised government agency, while the Senate says it has not received any formal petition on the matter
A little-known organisation known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) has become the centre of a major controversy after the Presidency declared it a fictitious body and ordered a full-scale investigation into its activities.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the council, giving the anti-graft agency 30 days to uncover those behind it and submit a comprehensive report.
Here's what is known so far.
The Presidency says PFIPC does not exist
According to the Presidency, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was never created by the Federal Government.
In a statement issued by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the government said the body has no legal basis, was not established by any Act of Parliament, presidential directive or executive instrument, and is therefore not recognised as a government agency.
How the alleged fake agency was uncovered
The controversy reportedly began after officials at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission raised concerns that another organisation appeared to be presenting itself as a federal government agency with overlapping responsibilities.
The Office of the Chief of Staff to the President subsequently alerted security agencies after receiving complaints and reviewing documents linked to the council.
What investigators have been asked to examine
President Tinubu has instructed the ICPC to investigate several serious allegations surrounding the PFIPC.
According to the Presidency, investigators will examine claims involving:
- Alleged forged appointment letters and government documents.
- Claims that individuals falsely presented themselves as presidential appointees.
- Alleged attempts to obtain diplomatic recognition and visa facilitation.
- The opening of bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies.
- The network of individuals who may have participated in the alleged scheme.
Questions over budget allocations
The controversy intensified after reports claimed that the PFIPC appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a reported allocation of ₦1.3 billion, despite the Presidency insisting that no such agency legally exists.
Those claims have fuelled public debate over how the council was allegedly included in government budget documents and whether any public funds were actually released.
These issues are expected to form part of ongoing investigations.
The Senate has distanced itself
The Senate of Nigeria says it is not investigating the matter for now.
According to Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu, the chamber has received no formal petition regarding the controversy and therefore has no basis to intervene at this stage, describing it as an executive matter unless formally brought before lawmakers.
The alleged director-general denies wrongdoing
The man identified in reports as the PFIPC's purported Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, has maintained that he is willing to cooperate with investigators.
According to media reports, he says he will submit documents in his possession to the Department of State Services and the ICPC as part of the investigation.
What happens next?
The ICPC has been given 30 days to complete its investigation and report directly to President Tinubu.
The probe is expected to establish whether forged documents were used, determine if any public funds were improperly accessed, identify everyone involved and recommend possible criminal or administrative action where necessary.
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