Anti-graft commission also recommends prosecution of alleged PFIPC promoter as investigation exposes serious gaps in government verification systems
By Pioneer News Desk
August 28, 2026
The controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has taken a fresh turn, with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) recommending administrative and disciplinary action against 13 public officials whose actions, omissions or alleged negligence may have facilitated the operations of the disputed agency.
The development followed an investigation ordered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the Presidency disowned both the purported agency and Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as its Director-General.
According to the ICPC, its investigation established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government or any government authority, while the PFIPC itself was not created by any law, Executive Order or other valid government instrument. The commission also found that official-looking documents allegedly used to support the agency’s existence were forged. ( icpc.gov.ng)
Beyond administrative sanctions against public officials, the anti-graft commission recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi over alleged offences including forgery, impersonation, false representation and related offences.
The ICPC said the investigation uncovered evidence suggesting that the purported agency penetrated several layers of government bureaucracy, gaining access to government offices, administrative processes and financial systems despite lacking a valid legal foundation.
The commission said the situation exposed weaknesses in verification procedures and inter-agency oversight within government institutions.
The officials recommended for administrative action are:
1- Mimi Abu – Director, Organisation Design and Development Department, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
2- Rosemary Achem – Special Adviser on Administration to the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation.
3- Patricia Akhigbe – Assistant Director, Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
4- Aminu Abdullahi – Schedule Officer, Office Allocation, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
5- Bello Abdullahi – Assistant Director, IPSAS/National Chart of Accounts, Consolidated Account Department, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
6- Sanni Olubunmi – Director, Inspectorate Department, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
7- Jousha Kadiri Luka – Director, Consolidated Accounts Department, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
8- Muazu Balami – Deputy Director, Risk and Review, Inspectorate Department, OAGF.
9- Omameh Florence – Assistant Director, Inspectorate Department, OAGF.
10- Akinlose Moses – Inspectorate Department, OAGF.
11- Ogaba Harry – Chief Accountant, OAGF.
12- Esther Orji Okoli – Principal Executive Officer I, OAGF.
13- Ogunbade Habeebat Ajibola – Manager, Compliance and Regulation Department, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Premium Times, which reported the ICPC recommendations, said the commission also recommended that the affected institutions implement reforms identified in its investigation.
The investigation paints a disturbing picture of how an organisation allegedly lacking a legal foundation was able to navigate different layers of the Federal Government.
According to the ICPC, documents presented as official government instruments were used in dealings with public institutions. The purported agency subsequently gained administrative visibility and access to facilities and government processes.
Earlier reporting on the investigation indicated that officials in several government institutions processed requests connected to the organisation despite gaps in verification procedures. The purported PFIPC also obtained administrative recognition and interacted with government financial systems.
The ICPC said the circumstances exposed weaknesses in existing mechanisms for authenticating government documents and verifying the legal status of organisations seeking access to public resources.
For many observers, the most troubling aspect of the scandal may not be the alleged creation of the fake agency itself, but how far it was able to penetrate the machinery of government.
The ICPC has consequently recommended institutional reforms aimed at strengthening document verification, internal controls and inter-agency oversight across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The commission said the investigation remains ongoing, particularly to identify other individuals who may have participated in or facilitated the alleged scheme and to gather evidence capable of supporting any further criminal prosecution.
icpc.gov.ng
The Presidency has maintained that neither the purported PFIPC nor Adeyemi had official recognition under the Tinubu administration.
The ICPC also said its investigation found no evidence that the purported appointment letter originated from the Presidency.
It further reported that no Federal Government funds were approved or disbursed to the purported PFIPC or its operators, although the organisation allegedly succeeded in gaining access to government administrative and financial processes.
icpc.gov.ng
The investigation has also widened beyond the PFIPC.
The ICPC said it uncovered two other purported fictitious agencies allegedly connected to the scheme, while separate investigations have raised concerns about another suspected fake agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The development has intensified calls for stronger safeguards to prevent individuals from exploiting bureaucratic weaknesses to create the appearance of legitimate government institutions.
The PFIPC controversy has now become more than a case involving one alleged impostor. It has raised fundamental questions about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s institutional checks and balances.
If an organisation without a valid enabling law or executive instrument can allegedly obtain government recognition, office accommodation and access to administrative systems, then the issue extends beyond individual misconduct to the strength of the systems designed to protect public institutions.
For the ICPC, the immediate task is to complete its investigation and ensure that those found culpable face appropriate consequences.
For the wider public service, the episode serves as a stark reminder that every government institution, appointment, document and official request must be subjected to proper verification before public authority or resources are extended to it.
The ICPC’s interim findings have been submitted to President Tinubu, while the investigation and other related proceedings continue.
icpc.gov.ng
Source/verification: The underlying recommendations are confirmed by the official ICPC report, while the publication of the 13 names and detailed findings was reported by Premium Times on August 28, 2026.
premiumtimesng.com
icpc.gov.ng
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