Lead

President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into a fictitious government agency that was allocated about 1.3 billion naira in Nigeria's 2026 national budget, even though it has no legal existence. The entity, the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), was reportedly set up within the president's office and was due to receive public funding of roughly $950,000, according to BBC News reports.

On Tuesday, Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days. The order covers alleged forged appointment letters and official documents, as well as charges that the agency used false claims to seek official recognition, including help securing visas.

A man presenting himself as the PFIPC's director-general, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, is suspected of forgery, impersonation and related offences. Police have launched a manhunt for him, and a charge under before the Federal High Court in Abuja is expected.

Coverage comparison

The story core is covered across multiple outlets with different focus area. allAfrica reports on a concern raised by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, which wrote that the scandal involves accusations of forged appointments, operation of a nonexistent agency, and serious charges against senior public officials; that body emphasised that the onary raises larger questions about transparency and accountability in Nigeria public appointments. The Guardian, also in London, highlights the structural weaknesses that allowed the phantom council to enter the national budget, while Africa maintains a critical view on how the government responds.

While all sources describe the same controversy, they differ in their angle. BBC News and Africa News primarily attention on the president's order for investigation and the accused person's actions. The Guardian and AllAfrica put the scandal in a wider governance framework, asking how the agency appeared in the budget.

Key claims

  • The Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) is not a legally existing entity yet it was set up
  • and received an allocation of 1.3 billion naira in the 2026 budget.
  • The agency had secured office space within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, a complex where genuine ministries operate.
  • Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who claimed to be the PFIPC's director-general,
  • is accused of forging official appointment letters and opening multiple bank accounts in the agency's name.
  • The police have filed charges including criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence, as reported by the Guardian.
  • President Tinubu ordered the ICPC to prepare a report within 30 days on the alleged forged documents and efforts to gain official recognition.
  • The presidency has denied any involvement of the chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, stating that his signature was forged and the purported agency never existed.

The perspectives

The presidency, responding through a spokesperson, described Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew as a "con artist" and maintains that no public money was paid out. The claim that an agency does not exist is supported by the But the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, as quoted by AllAfrica, has however,

The Nigeria Civil Society situation Room expressed serious concern that the scandal extends beyond one individual, pointing out that the ma matter at its core is the question of how a non-existent agency was able to get budget allocations.

The Guardian additionally reported that opposition parties are urging for an independent commission of inquiry into how the agency got into the 2026 budget.

That perspective is not available from a quoted source in this document, but it is carried by the Guardian's coverage.