How SGF requested office space for ‘FAKE AGENCY’

Official documents obtained by Saturday PUNCH cast doubt on the Presidency's assertion that the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) never existed. The records show that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) acknowledged and acted upon correspondence submitted in the council's name.

Specifically, the SGF's office processed a request from the council's self-styled Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, for office accommodation. This request was made through recovered Federal Government properties and forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A letter dated November 21, 2024, signed by Permanent Secretary Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri on behalf of the SGF, directed the EFCC to take necessary action on Adeyemi's November 7, 2024, request.

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I am directed to forward the attached copies of letters requesting allocation of office accommodation from the recovered Federal Government landed properties for further necessary action.

Adeyemi's letter described the PFIPC as a Federal Government agency tasked with attracting foreign direct investment. It claimed the council served as a "One-Stop-Shop for Investments centre" coordinating investment-related activities across various government bodies and promoting Nigeria as an investment destination. The council's mandate included facilitating interaction between public and private sectors, policy advocacy, and promoting a positive image of Nigeria to foreign investors.

The documents reveal that the SGF's office received Adeyemi's letter on November 12, 2024, and forwarded it to the EFCC nine days later. This sequence of events directly challenges the Presidency's public disavowal of the council, suggesting a level of official engagement prior to its alleged non-existence.

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The council also serves as the resource and coordinating centre for the Nation’s Foreign Investment Promotion activities – a One-Stop-Shop for Investments centre coordinating investment-related activities across ministries, departments and agencies and promoting Nigeria as a preferred investment destination.