Nigeria’s Head of Service Intervenes, Stops NEPC Promotion Exercise Over Rule Violations After SaharaReporters’ Reports

The Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has halted a controversial promotion exercise at the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) following reports of attempted violations of civil service procedures, as published by SaharaReporters.

Allegations of Favouritism and Abuse of Office

The intervention came amid growing concerns from NEPC staff over alleged favouritism and abuse of office by the agency’s Executive Director/CEO, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, who reportedly included unqualified candidates in the 2025 promotion list.

Meanwhile, the aggrieved staff told SaharaReporters on Thursday that the agency’s recent promotion exercise was poorly organised and lacked fairness.

According to complaints, the merit-based system was allegedly compromised when officers at Grade Level 14 were required to answer the same set of questions as those vying for senior positions, such as Deputy Directors and Directors.

Sources within the council also disclosed that staff were not paid their usual Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) for the exercise, which took place outside official working hours.

The promotion tests reportedly ended around 2 a.m., leaving several candidates — including pregnant women and nursing mothers — stranded at the office due to a lack of accommodation and funds.

Some of the affected candidates, who came from all 35 states, told SaharaReporters that they slept in the NEPC office as Mr. Ayeni provided no accommodation or transport allowance.

Controversial Financial Promises Raise Eyebrows

The situation worsened when, in response to mounting discontent, Mrs Ayeni allegedly announced plans to pay each of the approximately 90 candidates an additional N50,000, apart from their standard DTA, as compensation for the ordeal. This announcement sparked further concerns about the transparency and legality of the proposed payments.

Insiders questioned the source of the funds, citing a similar incident in which Nonye was alleged to have given N5 million to a civil society group to halt an investigation into irregularities surrounding the exam process.

Staff have expressed alarm over what they described as reckless financial practices and demanded accountability from the council’s leadership.

Previously, SaharaReporters reported that internal documents revealed that several officers, including Mr. Abayomi Akodu—a microbiology graduate in line for the position of Director of Accounts—were marked as eligible to take promotion exams, despite being disqualified under the extant Public Service Rules.

The rules, reinforced by a 2021 circular, prohibit the use of professional certificates in place of academic qualifications for entry into the Directorate cadre.

Sources within the NEPC alleged that Mrs. Ayeni manipulated the process to favour loyalists, even overriding official disqualifications. Aggrieved staff lodged formal complaints with both the Head of Service and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Jumoke Oduwole, prompting swift intervention from the top.

Following a report by SaharaReporters that exposed the scandal, the NEPC issued a rebuttal denying any wrongdoing and described the allegations as “blatant misinformation.” The Council claimed it had secured a waiver from the Office of the Head of Service, asserting that some approvals were granted “on humanitarian grounds.”

However, the Head of Service, upon review, dismissed such justifications and ordered the immediate removal of all ineligible names from the promotion list, reinforcing adherence to civil service rules and restoring confidence among the workforce.

The development marks a significant step in curbing irregularities within federal agencies and ensuring fairness and transparency in the nation’s public service system.

Reacting to the NEPC statement, one of the aggrieved staff stated that “we are aware that the Office of the Head of Service maintains a high degree of professional standards and does not issue approval or waiver on establishment matters based on humanitarian grounds. We suspect that the so-called waiver or approval, if any, must have been procured through the back door.”

However, in a swift move to address the issue, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation issued a circular dated July 8, 2025, and referenced HCSF/3065/V.1/219.

The circular read, “The Office of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has been inundated with complaints, petitions and appeals from aggrieved public servants across Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies. These concerns revolve largely around the improper handling of establishment matters such as Discipline, Promotion, Secondment, Tenure, Leave of absence, and Retirement notices. There have also been cases of gross abuse of special promotion, where officers are elevated without due process.

"The Public Service is an age-long institution governed by Rules, Regulations, and Extant circulars. Regrettably, ignorance, indifference, bias, negligence, or even inducement have led to a breakdown in adherence to these rules by Officers and their Supervisors."

The source said, "As if talking directly to Mrs. Nonye, the circular observed that ‘ignorance, indifference, bias, negligence, or even inducement have led to a breakdown in adherence to these rules’.

"The circular warned that ‘going forward, any establishment matter found to have been mishandled will attract appropriate sanctions in line with PSR for the Officer(s) involved’.

“Obviously, the circular from the OHSCF was a direct fallout of the scandal in our office. The content was apt and the timing accurate as it was issued a day to the planned promotion exercise. We really thank the Head of Service for coming to our rescue. We also thank SaharaReporters for the wide coverage given to this case of injustice, unfairness and nepotism.

“While we appreciate the Head of Service’s prompt intervention, we hope that an investigation would be conducted to unveil the Officer(s) from the Office of the Head of Service that issued approval or granted a waiver to the NEPC to conduct the promotion exams by accommodating the unqualified officers on humanitarian grounds."

Another source said, “The Office of the Head of Civil Service made sure that the circular was not only written a day before the promotion exercise but that it was delivered to the Council on the same date.

“If you look at the content of the circular, you will realise that it addresses all the issues raised in our petition and it completely discredits the press statement issued by the NEPC denying the planned unlawful promotion of some officers.”

The source added that the circular confirmed the position of SaharaReporters, which was published last week. 

Promotion Exam Conducted Under Chaotic Conditions

A top official who visited the NEPC office (Export House) at Plot 424 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, on the morning of July 9, 2025, told SaharaReporters that candidates taking the promotion exams were undergoing clearance and accreditation, while other staff were seen in groups speaking in hushed tones.

The official said, "On being informed of the circular from the Head of Service, Mrs. Ayeni was said to have exhibited highhandedness by insisting that the unqualified Officers must write the promotion exams despite the circular from Head of Service.

"She insisted that she decides what happens in the NEPC and no one, not even the Head of Service, can give her directives on issues of personnel regarding her staff. She made it clear that she would not succumb to any blackmail and that she would show them she had powerful contacts.

“With these words by the ‘Almighty Queen’, all the Account Officers disqualified by the circular were asked to be cleared and accredited for the promotion exams.”

"Her show of arrogance, ignorance and recalcitrant attitude must have leaked to higher authorities; because shortly afterwards, a combined team of Directors from the Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Federal Civil Service Commission and Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment stormed the NEPC premises and went straight to the exams hall where the meeting of the Senior Staff Committee was holding.”

"After identifying themselves, the team directed that all officers not qualified to take promotion exams should be removed from the lists. Nonye had no option but to comply reluctantly, with her over-inflated ego completely bruised," the official added.

One of the aggrieved staff members told SaharaReporters that by the time the dust finally settled, the 2025 promotion exam commenced at 11:01 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. Some of the staff members were still taking the exam as of 12:05 a.m. on Wednesday, July 10, 2025, when our correspondent departed the Export House.

Later in the day, one of the candidates who took the exam told SaharaReporters in a telephone conversation that the entire process was poorly organised.

The candidate said, "Merit was compromised as Officers on Grade Level 14 were asked to write the same questions, with officers going for Deputy Directors and Directors. Further, officers were not paid their usual travelling allowances.

“By the time the whole process ended around 2 am, some officers, including pregnant women and nursing mothers who had no money to get accommodation, were forced to sleep in the office as they had nowhere else to go at that time.

"On realising staff discontentment for the non-payment of their allowances and stress caused to staff, Nonye announced that she was going to pay candidates an additional N50,000 each apart from their usual DTA for wasting their time. This comes to question the source of the additional N50,000 that was carelessly announced by Nonye for about 90 officers who took the exam.

“That was how she gave a civil society group N5million to stop them from investigating the exams scandals. Which accounting subhead would they justify these reckless expenditures?”

When SaharaReporters contacted Mr. Ndubueze Okeke, Head of Corporate Communications at NEPC, he said, "I have nothing to discuss with you. We asked you to come to our office, but you refused."

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