NEWS
Fake Agency DG Adeniyi Reveals How ₦1.3bn Found Its Way Into 2026 Budget
The embattled Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Prince Adeyemi Matthew Adeniyi, has claimed that he personally lobbied officials at the Budget Office, leading to the inclusion of the controversial agency in the 2026 Federal Government budget.
Adeniyi made the claims during an interview with social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, following his arrest over allegations of operating a fictitious government agency.
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The agency, which the Federal Government has repeatedly described as non-existent, was allocated about ₦1.3 billion in the 2026 Appropriation Act, sparking public outrage and calls for a thorough investigation into Nigeria’s budget process.
During the interview, Adeniyi absolved the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of any involvement, insisting he had never met him physically.
According to him, he first approached the Budget Office in December 2024 to seek the agency’s inclusion in the 2025 budget but was informed that the appropriation process had already closed.
“I went to that Budget Office for the 2025 budget. I submitted the letter and everything that I wanted, but I was told it was already late,” he said.
He explained that officials later advised him to pursue the proposal for the 2026 budget.
“When the 2025 budget came out and I didn’t see this budget, those people that I went to then said it would now be for the 2026 budget. We kept in touch because they said it would be considered later,” he said.
Adeniyi further alleged that a female official helped him gain access to the Director-General of the Budget Office, who later referred him to another senior official.
“She helped me to see the oga. Oga now said, ‘Where is my shini?’ I said I don’t have any shini. He later asked me to meet one director,” he claimed.
According to him, the director informed him that although the proposal could not be accommodated in the 2025 budget, efforts would continue ahead of the 2026 appropriation.
When asked whether he paid officials to facilitate the process, Adeniyi denied offering bribes.
“Honestly, I did not pay any money. I didn’t pay anybody. The only thing I promised was that if I started employing people, I could help them with employment opportunities.
“That was the favour I promised them. I did not give anybody money. It was just a promise that if they had people, I could employ them.”
Adeniyi said his arrest brought an end to every effort surrounding the budget proposal and that he was surprised when he later discovered the agency had been included in the 2026 budget.
“Immediately, there was a problem; everything stopped. Even the woman that wanted to help was calling because she couldn’t reach me because she was scared. I told her to let everything stop.
“I didn’t even know until they said it was inside the budget. I had already left the office. Where would I still pursue the budget again when I was already facing court?” he said.
Asked whether Budget Office officials could have inserted the agency into the budget after his arrest, he responded: “I don’t know because once that problem started, everything stopped. Why would I still pursue the budget when I was already in trouble?”
Adeniyi also addressed allegations that he paid ₦400 million to secure his purported appointment, claiming the money was delivered in United States dollars through his late associate, Dolapo Tanimola.
“Dollars,” he replied when asked the currency of the payment.
Asked who received the money, he answered:
“Dolapo.”
He maintained that he never met Gbajabiamila before or after his purported appointment.
“I never met Gbajabiamila physically before and after he was appointed. Dolapo Tanimola handled everything for me.”
Meanwhile, VeryDarkMan, in the caption accompanying the interview, called for a comprehensive investigation into the Budget Office and other government institutions, arguing that Adeniyi should not be the only person held accountable if his allegations are proven true.
However, the allegations made by Adeniyi have not been independently verified, and the officials and institutions mentioned have not publicly responded to the latest claims.
Adeniyi is facing charges including forgery and impersonation after allegedly operating the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council from an office within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja using forged government documents.
The Presidency has consistently maintained that the council has no legal existence and has described Adeniyi as an impostor, distancing the Federal Government from the alleged organisation despite its appearance in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a ₦1.3 billion allocation.
The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has honoured former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, on the occasion of his 70th birthday, for his enduring contributions to science, innovation and the development of The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation.
At a colloquium organised in his honour, the company highlighted Nnaji’s more than two decades of involvement in the growth, governance and international recognition of the Prize, describing him as one of its earliest advocates and a key figure in its evolution.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Adeleye Falade, represented by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said Nnaji had remained a pillar of the initiative since its inception in 2004.
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According to Horsfall, the renowned engineer and academic has provided intellectual leadership, strategic direction and sustained advocacy that have helped shape the Prize’s vision, strengthen its credibility and advance its role in promoting scientific innovation and national development.
She recalled that Nnaji delivered the keynote address at the inaugural Grand Award Night held in Abuja on October 9, 2004, where he spoke on “Leapfrogging Science and Technology in Nigeria.” She noted that the address reinforced the founding objective of the Prize and helped raise awareness of the initiative among scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders.
Sahara Group is convening policymakers, industry leaders, investors, academia, and media professionals to advance practical solutions for Africa’s evolving energy landscape.
Scheduled for Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in Lagos, this year’s Asharami Square, a flagship thought leadership platform, is themed “Energising Africa’s Future: Legacy, Impact, and Transformation.”
The platform will spotlight the ideas, partnerships, and policy frameworks required to accelerate sustainable energy development across the continent.
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Building on the success of previous editions, Asharami Square 3.0 will examine how collaboration across government, industry, finance, and the media can unlock investment, strengthen infrastructure, and expand access while supporting Africa’s energy transition.
According to Bethel Obioma, Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara Group, the platform reflects Sahara Group’s commitment to driving impactful conversations that translate into real outcomes.
“Africa’s energy future will be shaped by the strength of our partnerships and our ability to turn dialogue into action. Asharami Square continues to provide a platform for convening diverse perspectives, advancing informed discourse, and driving the decisions that will influence policy, investment, and long-term development across the continent.
As we look Beyond XXX, our focus remains on investing in the ideas, partnerships, and platforms that will help shape a sustainable energy future for Africa.”
Also speaking, Ejiro Gray, Director, Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, emphasised the importance of grounding energy conversations in context and practical realities.
“Africa’s energy transition must be defined by solutions that reflect our unique realities. Asharami Square plays a critical role in bridging technical expertise and public understanding, ensuring that conversations around energy, sustainability, and development are anchored in evidence, context, and impact.
Through initiatives like Asharami Square, we continue to advance our Beyond XXX philosophy by supporting credible dialogue and strengthening the ecosystems that drive sustainable progress.”
The event will feature a keynote address by Sadiq Wanka, Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Power Infrastructure, alongside a high-level panel including Professor Abigail Ndisika, Director, Institute of Continuing Education (ICE), University of Lagos; Temitope George, CEO, Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC); Adebiyi Olusolape, Associate Editor, Africa, Argus Media; and Kemi Awodein, Managing Director, Investment Banking, Chapel Hill Denham.
A key highlight of this year’s programme will be the unveiling of the Asharami Square Energy Reporting Fellowship Judging Panel, reinforcing Sahara Group’s commitment to strengthening credible, solutions-focused journalism that deepens public understanding of Africa’s energy transition.
Since its maiden edition in 2024, Asharami Square has facilitated informed dialogue and effective media advocacy to enhance energy transition and sustainability in Africa.
Through the platform and the newly launched Asharami Energy Reporting Fellowship, Sahara Group continues to advance its Beyond XXX vision by investing in the ideas, people, and platforms that will help shape Africa’s energy future, while reinforcing its commitment to bringing energy to life responsibly.
Critical stakeholders are lamenting that fuel importers, licensed by the Nigerian government, are selling imported premium motor spirit (PMS) also known as petrol around N200 per litre, above what local refiner, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) is selling.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) noted that the importers including Matrix, AA Rano, Hayden among others have started pricing imported petrol significantly above the rates offered by the DPRP, raising concerns over the effectiveness of the government’s import licensing policy.
IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, said independent marketers had expected the import licences to serve as a check on domestic fuel pricing but are now shocked to find out that the policy had failed to deliver the desired outcome.
“The independent marketers of Nigeria have looked at the price volatility, the issue of the import license, the issue of sales of petroleum products and dollar, and holistically I will want to use the opportunity to urge the federal government to look into this thing transparently through NMDPRA, who is the authority of the industry,” he said.
According to him, the recent import licences issued to marketers have not helped reduce fuel prices as anticipated.
“The recent import licenses, which are termed to be used as a guiding principle or a check to domestic petroleum products being refined here in Nigeria, is not yielding the results as was expected by the independent marketers,” he stated.
Ukadike expressed surprise that some importers were reportedly selling imported petrol at about N1,350 per litre, despite lower prices from the DPRP.
“We were shocked, even as I am talking to you now, that the licenses that have been given to AA Rano, Matrix and all the rest of them to be able to import petroleum products are trying to peg the price of petroleum products at N1,350, which is far, far distant from what Dangote has been selling to us,” he said.
He further questioned the quality and pricing of imported products, insisting that the policy was undermining the purpose for which the licences were granted.
“The essence of NNPC or NMDPRA or the federal government opening up this import license is also to checkmate the domestic price of petroleum products, whereas where we find out that these products are being brought into this country, one, their qualities are questionable, two, their prices are higher,” Ukadike added.
The IPMAN spokesman also warned that continued fuel importation at higher prices was increasing pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange market, with the naira approaching N1,400 to the US dollar.
He argued that imported petroleum products priced using the international PLATTS benchmark were about 20 percent more expensive than products supplied by the DPRP, making imports less competitive.
Ukadike urged the Federal Government to sustain the sale of crude oil to the Dangote refinery in naira, saying the arrangement would help stabilise domestic fuel prices, reduce demand for foreign exchange and ease pressure on the local currency.
He also cautioned against what he described as the indiscriminate issuance of import licences, warning that such a policy could ultimately lead to higher pump prices for consumers instead of promoting competition.
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