EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Export Promotion Council Hit By Internal Revolt Over N72Million Redeployment Scandal

There may perchance be an internal stand up for the length of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) over allegations of industrial impropriety trailing the administration of the Council’s Govt Director, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, following a controversial nationwide workers redeployment exercise estimated to have cost ₦72 million.

Just a few senior sources for the length of the NEPC told SaharaReporters that the ₦72 million settle represents the cumulative switch allowances anticipated to be paid to officers struggling from the most up-to-date mass redeployments all the absolute best way by way of insist and zonal locations of work, and that the settle became not released by Mrs. Ayeni.

Nonetheless, insiders roar that the expenditure became neither appropriated nor captured below the NEPC’s 2025 budgetary provisions, nor became it integrated within the Council’s licensed procurement belief.

In line with the sources, this has raised crucial crimson flags for the length of the organisation, because the alleged cost of such a colossal sum without budgetary backing is being considered as a determined violation of extant financial rules governing public institutions.

Alleged Non-public Ego Mission

One extremely positioned educated puzzled the reason within the support of the redeployment exercise, describing it as “an ego-pushed resolution reasonably than an institutional necessity.”

“A good deal of officers are questioning the motive within the support of incurring this excessive expenditure true to fulfill a interior most ego,” the provision acknowledged.

“Would Mrs. Ayeni have embarked on this exercise with such tremendous cost if the NEPC became her interior most firm?”

One other insider echoed identical concerns, stressing that the exercise has no determined operational justification, particularly at a time when the Council is grappling with funding constraints, downhearted workers welfare, and scarcity of ability-constructing programmes. 

Insiders extra puzzled the propriety of spending ₦72 million on switch allowances when workers working against programmes for 2024 had been partly deserted and other folks for 2025 allegedly not performed the least bit.

Allegations of Misappropriation 

A top supply told SaharaReporters that the proposed cost is being broadly regarded internally as a misuse and misappropriation of public funds.

“Fee of this sum, below the circumstances, is truly apt misappropriation and misuse of authorities funds below original financial rules,” the provision acknowledged.

The provision added that any prudent chief govt officer would have kept faraway from creating such a big expenditure line, particularly one broadly seen by workers as pointless, wasteful, intelligent, and self-serving.

Plans to Immediate-Pay Affected Workers

Tensions escalated extra following information got from aggrieved workers indicating that despite the redeployments taking make since December 1, 2025, switch allowances are yet to be paid.

More troubling, in accordance to workers sources, are alleged plans by the NEPC administration to short-pay affected officers by both slashing their Every day Travelling Allowance (DTA) or paying kilometre allowance as antagonistic to air tickets, contrary to provisions of the Public Provider Rules.

“This has generated madden and deep resentment for the length of the Council,” a supply acknowledged. “Many workers stare it as unfair, unjust, and an act of sheer wickedness.”

Others puzzled why Mrs. Ayeni initiated the redeployment exercise within the first insist without first determining its bulky financial implications.

“It’s like attempting to sort an omelette without breaking the egg,” any other officer remarked satirically.

Emergency Frequent Workers Meeting and Plea to ‘Take care of Secrets and tactics’

The unfolding area reportedly triggered renewed tension, forcing an emergency Frequent Workers Meeting on Thursday, January 15, 2025, at the NEPC Auditorium in Abuja by 10:00 am.

A Microsoft Teams link became also circulated to enable officers in insist locations of work nationwide to participate.

In line with extra than one sources who attended the assembly, Mrs. Ayeni regarded visibly shaken, disorganised, and at several facets spoke out of line.

Within the midst of the assembly, she allegedly pleaded with workers members not to escalate the crisis, urging them to “support our secrets from outsiders.”

SaharaReporters learned that the assembly grew to change into unavoidable following a press assertion issued by the Arewa Modern Assembly (APA), published by Leading edge Newspaper on January 9, 2026, which called on the Goal Unhappy Practices and Other Connected Offences Fee (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Fee (EFCC) to birth an intensive investigation into Mrs. Ayeni’s activities as Govt Director of NEPC.

Sources acknowledged Mrs. Ayeni promised to seek into several workers grievances, including the non-working against of officers for the packed with 2025 and allotment of 2024.

Nonetheless, many officers reportedly left the assembly unconvinced, viewing her assurances as yet any other spherical of unfulfilled guarantees geared against briefly dousing workers madden.

Strike Looms 

With grievances unresolved and belief severely eroded, SaharaReporters gathered that aggrieved workers are already all for a deliberate nationwide strike if administration fails to address their demands promptly.

“The mood all the absolute best way by way of the Council is unstable,” a senior officer acknowledged. “Folks feel abused, neglected, and victimised.” 

Mounting External Stress and Petitions

Previous internal unrest, stress from exterior stakeholders has persisted to mount. Exporters and civil society groups have many instances called on the Federal Govt to intervene and rescue the NEPC from what they characterize as mismanagement, corruption, and highhanded leadership.

On Would possibly 29, 2025, a crew petitioned the Minister of Industry, Change and Funding, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, urging her to urgently probe and restructure the NEPC below Mrs. Ayeni.

Similarly, the Agro-Tech Exporters Forum issued a press assertion on June 23, 2025, echoing the resolution for intervention.

One other petition became forwarded on June 30, 2025, to the ICPC and the Office of the Head of the Civil Provider of the Federation, accusing Mrs. Ayeni of abuse of insist of enterprise, corruption, brush aside for Public Provider Rules, and completely different administrative lapses.

The most most up-to-date of such interventions is the Arewa Modern Assembly’s press assertion published on January 9, 2026, adding to a increasing list of media reviews and public criticisms.

Govt Silence Raises Suspicion

Despite the avalanche of petitions and public outcry, sources expressed effort that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has yet to plot shut visible action.

In line with insiders, the Minister of Industry, Change and Funding, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, became anticipated to no not as a lot as train a public assertion or intention up an administrative panel to analyze the allegations.

Her perceived silence has fuelled speculation, rumours, and extra agitation among workers and stakeholders.

The handiest indispensable intervention, in accordance to sources, came from the Office of the Head of the Civil Provider of the Federation, following reviews that Mrs. Ayeni deliberate to promote officers disqualified from taking portion within the 2025 promotion exercise.

The Head of Provider reportedly issued a circular halting the scramble.

Nonetheless, Mrs. Ayeni allegedly defied the directive and proceeded with the exercise unless a completely different monitoring crew from the Head of Provider’s insist of enterprise stormed the NEPC venue and physically stopped the disqualified officers from taking portion.

Following that incident, insiders acknowledged Mrs. Ayeni refused to conform with completely different directives contained within the circular, with no obvious consequences.

“Thus far as we are able to insist, nothing has took insist to her,” a supply acknowledged. “She operates like an island unto herself.”

Makes an strive to reach NEPC spokesperson Mr. Aliu Seidu Sadiq for observation had been unsuccessful at the time of submitting this represent.