Nigeria Investigates Fake Federal Agency Funded 1.3bn Naira

President Bola Tinubu has ordered a formal investigation into the allocation of 1.3 billion naira (about £700,000) to a non‑existent federal entity that was included in Nigeria’s 2026 budget. The fictitious agency, reportedly named the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), was discovered last October when Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila notified the police that his signature, official seals and reference numbers had been forged by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who claimed to have been appointed by the presidency to head the council.

The revelation has intensified scrutiny of alleged corruption ahead of the country’s general election scheduled for January. Investigators will examine the procurement process that allowed the phantom body to receive funding, the role of the PFIPC’s alleged leadership, and any potential misuse of public resources. The inquiry is expected to involve the Federal Police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent National Electoral Commission to assess whether the allocation was part of a broader pattern of graft within the administration.

As the investigation proceeds, the government has pledged full cooperation and transparency, while opposition parties have called for a swift and independent probe. The outcome will be closely watched by voters and international observers, who see it as a critical test of Nigeria’s commitment to clean governance in the run‑up to its largest democratic exercise yet.