Petition Seeks Probe of NEPC CEO Over Alleged Financial Misconduct, Abuse of Office, Nepotism

…As New Allegations Add to Earlier Auditor-General Query Over N230.5 Million Foreign Travel Expenditure….

By Zagazola Makama

A petition has called on Nigeria’s anti-corruption, oversight and law enforcement agencies, ICPC, EFCC to launch an independent, impartial and comprehensive investigation into a series of allegations involving the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs. Nonye Ayeni.

The latest petition adds to earlier public concerns surrounding the NEPC boss following an audit query by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAGF), details of which were previously reported by SaharaReporters, alleging breaches of Federal Government directives regulating official foreign travel amounting to N230.5 Million.

Despite undergoing investigations at various Nigeria’s anti graft agencies, corruption and abuse of office had persisted in the NEPC.

The latest petition, which stressed that all allegations should be investigated strictly in accordance with due process and the rule of law, urged investigators to determine the facts solely on the basis of credible evidence while ensuring that any individual against whom the allegations are not substantiated is fully exonerated.

According to the petition, the allegations relate to financial misconduct, abuse of office, administrative irregularities, nepotism, violations of the Public Service Rules and other actions allegedly affecting the administration of the Council.

One of the central allegations concerns the suspected diversion of approximately ₦500 million, said to represent about 20 per cent of the Council’s quarterly subvention intended to support Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.

The petition alleged that the funds were diverted through a coordinated arrangement involving certain Directors and State Coordinators, with portions of allocations to state offices allegedly transferred through a Bureau de Change operator for conversion into United States dollars before being remitted through an official in the Accounts Department.

It called on investigators to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit of the Council’s finances, including bank records, payment vouchers, electronic transactions, communication records and other financial documents, to establish whether such transactions occurred.

The petition also raised allegations of falsification of official service records, claiming that several Directors who ought to have retired from the Federal Public Service remained in office after their personnel records, including dates of birth, were allegedly altered.

It requested investigators to compare current personnel records with original employment documents, nominal rolls and historical service records to determine whether any unlawful alterations were made.

Another issue highlighted in the petition concerns the alleged irregular engagement of retired officers on contract appointments.

According to the petition, retired members of staff were allegedly re-engaged without transparent procedures and contrary to established Federal Public Service guidelines, with claims that some appointments were intended to favour individuals perceived to be loyal to the current management.

The petition requested a detailed review of all contract appointments involving retired officers to determine whether they complied with existing laws, regulations and Federal Government policies.

The petition further alleged that the NEPC Chief Executive sought blanket approval from the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to appoint External Directors of her choice.

According to the allegations, the approval was intended to facilitate the appointment or return of certain retired loyalists into strategic positions within the Council.

The petition urged investigators to examine all correspondence relating to the request and determine whether the process complied with applicable legal and administrative procedures.

The petition also alleged widespread nepotism and abuse of administrative authority, claiming that professionally qualified officers had been removed from positions consistent with their expertise and replaced by individuals allegedly selected on the basis of personal loyalty or ethnic affiliation rather than merit.

Among the examples cited was the alleged transfer of a professionally certified ICAN accountant from the Internal Audit Department to an operational unit unrelated to his professional qualifications, while another officer was reportedly appointed in his place.

It also alleged that the Council’s certified Procurement Officer was redeployed from the Procurement Unit to a state office and replaced by an officer who allegedly lacked the required professional procurement certification.

According to the petition, if established, such actions could amount to violations of the Public Service Rules and undermine merit-based administration.

The petition equally alleged that several substantive Directors had been denied office accommodation and administrative privileges ordinarily associated with their positions.

It claimed the affected Directors were perceived as outspoken officers who consistently advised management to comply with due process in the administration of Council affairs. Investigators were urged to determine whether such actions amounted to victimisation, abuse of administrative authority or unfair labour practices.

The petition also questioned the management of official foreign travel and estacode payments.
It alleged that estacode and other travel allowances were approved and paid to certain officials regarded as loyal to management for overseas trips they allegedly never undertook.

The petition requested investigators to examine travel approvals, immigration records, airline tickets, boarding records, passport entry and exit stamps, estacode payments and other related expenditure documents to verify whether public funds were improperly disbursed.

It also raised concerns over what it described as unusually high expenditure during official foreign trips, including alleged excessive spending on shopping and related expenses.

According to the petition, investigators should review travel approvals, estacode payments, procurement records, receipts and expenditure documents to determine whether public funds were properly utilised and whether all spending complied with financial regulations.

The petition further alleged that management frequently failed to properly delegate authority to appropriate Directors whenever the Chief Executive embarked on official domestic or international engagements.

According to the petition, this practice allegedly disrupted efficient administration and should be examined to determine compliance with established administrative procedures.

On staff welfare and workplace culture, the petition alleged that employees had complained of intimidation, abusive language, victimisation and an unwillingness by management to accept professional advice. It stated that the alleged conduct had created a hostile working environment that negatively affected staff morale and institutional performance.

The petition recommended that investigators independently verify these claims through interviews with serving and former members of staff. It also alleged inadequate engagement between the Council’s leadership and exporters, saying many stakeholders reportedly found it difficult to secure official meetings with the Chief Executive despite the Council’s statutory responsibility to support Nigeria’s export sector.

According to the petition, investigators should assess whether stakeholder engagement practices were consistent with the Council’s mandate and principles of good public administration. Another allegation contained in the petition was that the Chief Executive allegedly claimed that proceeds from the alleged financial misconduct were used to influence or obtain protection from certain public officials.

The petition urged investigators to independently determine whether such statements were made and, where necessary, investigate any individuals who may be implicated while ensuring due process.

As part of the requested investigation, the petition called for a forensic audit of the Council’s finances; examination of bank records, payment trails and electronic transactions; verification of personnel files, retirement records and nominal rolls; review of contract appointments involving retired officers; examination of procurement processes and foreign travel expenditures; verification of estacode payments against actual travel records; review of correspondence relating to appointments and approvals; interviews with staff, whistleblowers, exporters and other stakeholders; and assessment of compliance with the Public Service Rules, Financial Regulations, the Public Procurement Act and other applicable laws.

The petition stated that its objective was to promote transparency, accountability, integrity and the prudent management of public resources entrusted to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council for the development of Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.

It emphasised that all findings should be based solely on credible evidence, due process and the rule of law, adding that anyone found culpable should be held accountable in accordance with the law, while any person against whom the allegations were not substantiated should be fully exonerated.

Earlier Auditor-General Query

The fresh petition comes months after the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation reportedly issued an audit query against Mrs. Ayeni over her official foreign travel expenditure during the 2024 fiscal year.

According to a report by SaharaReporters, the audit alleged that Mrs. Ayeni embarked on numerous international trips in 2024 at a total cost of ₦230,540,843, contrary to Federal Government directives aimed at reducing public expenditure.

The report said auditors found that the NEPC chief undertook four international trips in the first quarter of 2024, two trips in the second quarter, two in the third quarter and seven international trips in the fourth quarter.

The Auditor-General’s report reportedly cited Circular No. PRS080/ADM/GEN/I dated Sept. 18, 2023, and another directive dated Feb. 21, 2024, both issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which restricted publicly funded international travel by government officials to a maximum of two trips per quarter.

The audit also reportedly referred to the March 12, 2024 circular signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, which suspended publicly funded foreign trips from April 1, 2024, except where expressly approved.

According to SaharaReporters, the audit alleged that Mrs. Ayeni continued embarking on numerous foreign trips despite the restrictions and questioned whether several of the journeys met the test of necessity or relevance to the statutory mandate of the NEPC.

Among the examples cited was an alleged payment of ₦16.8 million for airfare and estacode to attend the opening of a Zenith Bank branch in Paris, France, an event which the auditors reportedly questioned on the grounds that it was allegedly unrelated to the Council’s official mandate.

The audit also reportedly raised concerns over overlapping travel schedules involving trips to Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi, Ghana and Qatar within closely connected dates, questioning whether all the events could have been attended as claimed and whether excess estacode, if any, was refunded.

According to SaharaReporters, the Office of the Auditor-General recommended that the entire ₦230.54 million spent on the disputed foreign trips be recovered and refunded to government coffers, describing the expenditure as inconsistent with government financial regulations and fiscal discipline measures introduced by the Tinubu administration.

Though the spokesperson for the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr. Aliu Seidu Sadiq, denied the previous allegations and disputed the claim that the Chief Executive undertook foreign trips amounting to the figure stated in the audit report, the matter was still under investigation.

Mrs. Ayeni and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council had not publicly responded to the latest allegations contained in the petition at the time of filing this report while efforts to obtain comments from Mrs. Nonye Ayeni and the NEPC before publication were unsuccessful.

Zagazola Media Network