By Dennis Okechukwu
The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has summoned several top government officials, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to explain the circumstances surrounding the agency’s operations.
Also invited to appear before the panel are the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, and other senior government officials.
The committee, chaired by Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, is investigating the circumstances that led to the existence and operations of the PFIPC, including its appearance in the 2026 federal budget despite allegations that it is a fictitious agency.
Lawmakers are also seeking explanations on how the council allegedly operated from the Federal Secretariat, opened accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and secured a budgetary allocation.
The summons followed testimonies by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) and the CBN during a public hearing in Abuja on Monday.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, told the committee that her office neither allocated office space to the PFIPC nor approved its organisational structure because it failed to provide the required documentation.
She explained that although the council approached her office seeking approval for its organisational structure, the request was not granted, and no civil servants were deployed to the organisation.
Also testifying, CBN Director of Banking Services, Hamisu Abdullahi, confirmed that the apex bank opened two accounts for the PFIPC after receiving authorisation from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on July 30, 2025.
He clarified that the bank acted in line with standard procedures, which require clearance from the Accountant-General before government agencies can open accounts.
According to him, the accounts were never activated because no authorised signatories were presented, and no transactions were carried out.
Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, assured Nigerians that lawmakers would thoroughly investigate the matter and uncover how the council acquired the appearance of a legitimate government agency.