The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the alleged establishment of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to explain how the council allegedly operated despite concerns over its legal status.
The lawmakers are seeking answers over claims that the council, allegedly promoted by Prince Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, continued to function and engage in diplomatic activities even after government agencies reportedly questioned its legitimacy.
The summons followed the submission of a memorandum by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Umar Ahmed, who told the committee that the ministry had no official relationship with the PFIPC. He disclosed that the ministry instead sought clarification from the Office of the National Security Adviser after identifying irregularities in correspondence received from the council.
Ahmed explained that Prince Adeyemi, who presented himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIPC), approached the ministry on three occasions seeking collaboration and endorsement for a proposed World Investment Summit in Nigeria. According to him, the requests, received on June 26, 2025, August 5, 2025, and June 5, 2026, were not approved because of concerns surrounding the organisation.
He said the ministry acted in line with due process and existing regulations, adding that discrepancies in the documents submitted by Adeyemi prompted officials to seek clarification from the NSA’s office.
According to Ahmed, the ministry wrote to the National Security Adviser on October 16, 2025, requesting verification of Adeyemi’s status. The NSA’s office reportedly replied on November 26, 2025, stating that checks with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President indicated that Prince Matthew Adeyemi was unknown to any office of the Federal Government.
Members of the committee questioned why stronger action was not taken after the ministry received confirmation that the council allegedly lacked legal recognition. Lawmaker Abubakar Hassan Fulata asked whether the ministry informed Adeyemi that the organisation was considered illegal and advised him to discontinue further engagements.
Responding, the committee chairman maintained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had acted appropriately by escalating the matter to the National Security Adviser. However, he insisted that the NSA must now explain what steps were taken after confirming that the council was not recognised by the Federal Government.
The lawmakers also expressed concern over reports that the alleged council engaged foreign diplomats despite lacking official recognition. They described the development as a serious lapse in coordination among government institutions and questioned how an unrecognised body was able to conduct activities usually reserved for government agencies.
While commending the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for cooperating with the investigation, the committee directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs to personally appear before it on Thursday, July 23, 2026, alongside the National Security Adviser.
The committee also issued a final ultimatum to several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that failed to honour previous invitations, warning that chief executives and accounting officers must appear in person with all relevant documents or face constitutional sanctions.
Chairman Yusuf Gagdi described the absence of the affected agencies as an affront to the constitutional oversight powers of the House of Representatives. He stressed that invitations issued by parliamentary committees are backed by Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution and are therefore legally binding.
The hearing was adjourned until Thursday, July 23, 2026, when the committee expects the summoned officials and defaulting agencies to appear before the panel.
