Controversy Over 'Fake' Agency in Nigeria's 2026 Budget

Matthew Adeniyi, the Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, claimed during an interview that a 'fake' agency was improperly included in Nigeria's 2026 federal budget. He alleged that a person lobbied officials at the Budget Office to facilitate this inclusion, despite ongoing investigations into the agency's legitimacy.

Adeniyi stated that he met physically with Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, regarding the budget process. He asserted that the agency was not included in the 2025 budget due to timing issues and that he was surprised to find it listed in the 2026 budget.

Adeniyi denied any financial transactions related to the agency, claiming he did not pay anyone to facilitate the process. The agency reportedly received a controversial allocation of 1.3 billion naira in the 2026 Appropriation Act, which has sparked public outrage and calls for an investigation into Nigeria's budget process.