The Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nonye Ayeni, is facing serious allegations of nepotism, abuse of office, and deliberate violation of established civil service procedures ahead of the Council’s 2025 promotion exercise.
Multiple insiders within the Council, speaking with SaharaReporters, accused Ayeni of high-handedness and disregard for the Public Service Rules (PSR).
According to the sources, the NEPC boss has allegedly appointed unqualified individuals to senior positions and arbitrarily redeployed others to roles outside their fields of competence, creating discontent and confusion among career staff.
“There is a growing sense that Mrs. Ayeni runs the Council like her personal business,” one senior official, who spoke under anonymity, told SaharaReporters.
“She discards federal circulars and acts as if she embodies the powers of the Head of Service, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and the National Council on Establishments combined.”
The controversy deepened as documents and testimonies revealed that Ayeni is allegedly preparing to promote a select group of officers in defiance of current civil service circulars and criteria.
Staffs within the Council argue that this move is not only illegal but also undermines meritocracy and staff morale.
“This is unjust, inhuman, and unfair,” another source lamented. “Some of us with HND qualifications have been sidelined for years under similar circulars, yet we are not even considered for promotion. Now, the rules are suddenly being bent for others.”
The NEPC 2025 Promotion Exercise has been scheduled to take place from July 9 to 11, 2025. An internal circular dated June 26, 2025, with reference number ADM/CONF/SM/I/VOL.12/121, was issued and posted on the NEPC notice board along with a list of eligible candidates.
The circular, obtained by SaharaReporters, was addressed to the Office of the Executive Director/CEO, Directors/Heads of Departments, Regional and State Coordinators, and all staff.
It stated: “Sequel to the meeting of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) held on June 24, 2025, Management has scheduled the Year 2025 Promotion Exercise/Interview for Officers on Grade Levels 06 to 16 in all cadres, with a maturity date of January 1, 2025.”
However, out of the 102 staff members listed as eligible for the exercise, Ayeni allegedly handpicked only 14 candidates —raising concerns of favouritism and non-compliance with due process.
The recently released promotion list has generated tension, anxiety, and outrage among staff members of the NEPC due to the inclusion of certain officers reportedly disqualified by extant circulars from participating in the promotion exercise.
One of the key circulars cited is the Circular on Use of Only Academic Qualifications for Entry into the Civil/Public Service, with reference No. HCSF/SPsO/ODD/NCE/CND.100/S.10/111/104, dated 12th April 2021.
The circular stipulates that only academic qualifications, and not professional certifications, shall be used for entry or advancement within the Public Service.
In a clarification issued by the Office of the Head of Civil Service, it was stated:
“A holder of a Higher National Diploma (HND) and a professional certificate (ICAN, ANAN, or COREN), without a Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) and a Master’s Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field from a recognized university, cannot be promoted to the Directorate level in the Public Service as stipulated in the extant scheme of service.”
For further clarity, a subsequent circular dated 7th November 2022, with reference No. HCSF/SPSO/ODD/E&WP/64976/52, emphasised: “For the avoidance of doubt, all HND holders terminate on SGL 14 in the Public Service, whether with or without professional qualifications.”
However, a document obtained by SaharaReporters indicates that Mrs. Ayeni has concluded plans to promote Mr. Abayomi Akodu (Deputy Director – Accounts), Mr. Joshua Mani (Assistant Director – Accounts), and other accounting officers.
A source within NEPC told SaharaReporters that these officers were excluded from previous promotion examinations due to their lack of the required qualifications.
Another source warned that if these officers are promoted as allegedly planned by the Executive Director/CEO, it would cause serious injustice to other staff and could result in unrest.
“Already, tension is building among staff regarding the planned promotion exercise. It is important to note that other account officers at headquarters and across the 36 state offices with similar qualification issues are not being considered for the 2025 promotion exams,” the source added.
“Some of us who hold HND qualifications have not been promoted for years due to the application of similar circulars within the Council, yet we are not being invited for promotion. This is unjust, inhumane, and deeply unfair. We cannot and should not apply different rules to different people within the same government organisation.
“The desperate efforts to promote selected staff are causing concerns. It appears as though Mrs. Ayeni is either trying to cover up something in the Accounts Department or may be facing a looming threat of blackmail. Otherwise, we cannot understand why a presidential appointee would so flagrantly disregard Federal Government circulars. Her promise to Mr. Akodu during one of the staff meetings—that he must be promoted despite the circulars—is especially troubling.”
An aggrieved source told SaharaReporters that a similar incident occurred during the 2024 promotion exercise.
At one of the general staff meetings, Mrs. Ayeni reportedly told the then Regional Head of the Kano Office, Mr. Salami, that as ED/CEO, she would ensure he was promoted “no matter what.” True to her words, the officer was “miraculously” promoted.
The source further revealed that even before the official release of the promotion list, Mrs. Ayeni publicly announced at the officer’s retirement/send-off party—much to the amazement of staff—that she had fulfilled her promise to ensure Mr. Salami’s promotion.
“We later learnt that the officer was promoted largely because of how he constantly pandered to Mrs. Ayeni’s ego, including bringing a convoy of cars to receive her at the airport tarmac whenever she visited Kano.”
“While staff promotions are welcome developments, they must be conducted fairly and transparently, in line with established rules, procedures, and circulars issued by the Federal Government through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“The rules should not be manipulated to favour a select few while disadvantaging others, as is currently being practised by Mrs. Ayeni in the Council.”
The source added that the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), being a government agency, should not be run like a personal empire where the words and actions of one individual are treated as law.