Reactions have trailed the discovery of fake agencies operating within the Federal Civil Service under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Many Nigerians have criticised the government, questioning its oversight and the policies guiding the running of a country of over 200 million people.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) exposed the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), described as a ghost agency that secured office space, opened Central Bank accounts, and received budget allocations.
For much of 2025, the PFIPC appeared no different from other federal agencies. It presented itself as a body set up to attract foreign investment and operated from an office inside the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.
Career civil servants were reportedly assigned to the agency. It ran a website on the official .gov.ng domain and secured approval to hire more than 300 staff at a time when public-sector recruitment was frozen.
The website has since been taken down, though its Instagram account remains active.
The self-acclaimed director-general, Adeniyi Adeyemi, reportedly met cabinet ministers, financial regulators, the head of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, and foreign diplomats.
The agency featured in the 2026 national budget with an allocation of N1.3 billion.Adeyemi alleged that Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, received N400 million through proxies and demanded another N200 million to facilitate his appointment.
He also questioned how a “ghost agency” appeared in official budget allocations.The Presidency cleared Gbajabiamila of the allegations, describing the PFIPC as a non-existent, fictitious agency.
It called Adeyemi a con artist exploiting public trust and stated that Gbajabiamila had no knowledge of any appointment letter.
Following an investigation ordered by President Tinubu, a Federal High Court issued an arrest warrant for Adeyemi.
He was later arrested by police and the case is before Justice Umar.The ICPC later uncovered another fake agency, the “National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office,” which operated inside the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and was promoted by Prince George Buchi Nwabueze.
President Tinubu subsequently ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries, M.S. Danjuma, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, and Richard Pheelangwah linked to the unauthorised establishment of the second fake office.
Speaking to Daily Post, some Nigerians expressed shock that fake agencies could operate within government premises, including the Federal Secretariat.
Divine Akor described the development as a serious indictment of the machinery of governance, asking how an organisation without a lawful mandate could present itself as a federal agency, operate from government premises, and interact with public officials without earlier detection.
“Government agencies are not private associations that can be created with a letterhead, office and fancy title. They require legal backing, an approved structure, a supervising authority and verifiable government records. If the safeguards against fake agencies were bypassed, then the Tinubu administration must accept that there is a serious failure of institutional oversight,” he said.
Isaac Adeyemo credited President Tinubu for ordering investigations but insisted that more needed to be done.
“The more important question is: Who allowed these entities to exist and operate in the first place? The Office of the Head of the Civil Service, the SGF’s office, relevant ministries and other supervisory authorities must explain what checks failed.
And if insiders facilitated or protected these operations, they must be investigated alongside the alleged perpetrators,” he stated.Blessing Ede called for clear answers on whether public funds, government facilities, official documents, contracts, or privileges were accessed through these entities.
She demanded the publication of a comprehensive register of all legally recognised federal agencies, verification of organisations occupying government premises, audits of related financial activities, and stronger digital verification of federal institutions.
Paul Ogbole urged authorities to hold officials accountable for supervisory failures, arguing that the real scandal lies in a system that allowed such entities to operate.
“The President cannot personally monitor every government office, but he is ultimately responsible for the integrity of the executive machinery. Nigeria does not need another scandal that ends with a few arrests while the loopholes remain open.
"If a fake agency can allegedly operate inside the Federal Government without immediate detection, then the real scandal is not only the fake agency. The real scandal is a system that made its existence possible,” he said.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com