Opinion: How Nepotism and Connection-Based Hiring is Killing Nigeria’s Government-Owned Parastatals
If you have ever walked into a Nigerian government office and wondered, “What exactly do these people even do here?”, my brother, you are not alone. Many of these government-owned parastatals are filled with workers who got the job simply because of who they know, not what they know.
Yes, you heard me right. Our civil service, government agencies, and parastatals have been hijacked by nepotism and connection-based hiring. That means if you don’t have an uncle, a senator, or some “big man” pushing your name, your chances of getting a government job are as good as nothing.
Now, I know this is not news to most Nigerians. Everybody sabi as e dey go. Government jobs in this country are not about merit; na who know who. But the real question is, do we ever stop to think about how much this thing is destroying our government agencies?
Most of these offices are full of unserious, unqualified, and unproductive workers who don’t even understand their job roles. Why? Because they were never hired based on skill in the first place! No wonder everything in Nigeria moves like snail.
So, let’s break this thing down and talk about how nepotism and connection-based hiring are gradually killing Nigeria’s government-owned parastatals and why we all need to wake up before e too late.
1. The Wrong People Are Getting Hired
In a sane country, government jobs go to the most qualified candidates—people who actually have the knowledge and skills to do the work. But in Nigeria? Forget it.
Instead of hiring based on merit, government parastatals operate like family business. Ministers, senators, governors, and top officials fill government offices with their relatives, friends, and political loyalists—whether or not they are qualified for the job.
Imagine applying for a government job, passing all the tests, killing the interview, and waiting for that offer letter, only to hear that the position has been given to the minister’s niece who just finished NYSC.
Omo, frustration go wound you. With this kind of system, hardworking and competent Nigerians are left jobless, while clueless, privileged individuals take up positions they have no business handling. And what’s the result? Government offices that are completely useless.
2. No Motivation to Work Hard
Let’s be honest, if you got a job not because of your qualifications but because of connections, why would you stress yourself at work?
This is why many government workers come late, sleep at their desks, gossip all day, and disappear before closing time. Some of them don’t even show up at all and still collect salaries. Why? Because nobody fit sack them!
In the private sector, if you slack off, you’re fired—simple! But in government parastatals, it’s a different ball game. Since most workers are there because of one godfather or the other, nobody can question them, let alone sack them.
This is why we have government offices where files gather dust for weeks, simple approvals take months, and nothing moves forward. Workers feel no pressure to perform because they know their job is secured, whether they work or not.
If you’ve ever gone to a government office and met an officer chewing groundnut and pressing phone while you wait for hours, you understand this pain.
3. Corruption Becomes the Order of the Day
Let’s not even pretend—nepotism and corruption go hand in hand.
Once you allow connection-based hiring, you’re also inviting corruption, bribery, and mismanagement.
Many people pay their way into government jobs—and when they finally enter, their main goal is to recover their investment. So what do they do? They find ways to steal from the system.
You see a civil servant earning ₦150,000 per month, but he’s driving a Benz and has three houses in Lekki. Oga, explain how!
Instead of doing their actual jobs, they focus on inflating contracts, demanding bribes, and diverting government funds into their personal pockets. The result? Government projects fail, resources disappear, and nothing works.
4. Qualified Nigerians Are Running Away
One of the saddest things about all this is that many brilliant Nigerians have given up on the system.
Think about it: Why would a first-class graduate waste time applying for government jobs when he knows the slots have already been shared?
Instead of sitting around waiting for a miracle, many talented Nigerians are either:
- Leaving the country (japa) for better opportunities abroad
- Settling for underpaying private jobs
- Becoming self-employed just to survive
This is why many of our government offices are filled with mediocrity, while the real talents are wasting away or leaving the country for good.
5. The Country Keeps Moving Backward
When the wrong people are hired, when workers are lazy and unmotivated, when corruption is the norm, what do you expect? The country will remain stagnant.
Nigeria has some of the most important government agencies—NPA, NNPC, NIMC, NAFDAC, NCC, and many others—but what is their impact? Very little!
Meanwhile, in other countries, government agencies drive development and create opportunities for citizens. But here? They are just cash cows for politicians and their families.
Every year, we keep borrowing money, increasing budgets, and shouting about reforms, yet nothing changes. Why? Because the people running the system are there for personal gain, not national progress.
So, What’s the Way Forward?
Honestly, the solution is simple, but will Nigeria ever implement it?
- Government jobs must be based on merit – No more connection-based hiring! Let recruitment be transparent so that the best people get the jobs.
- Strict monitoring and evaluation – Civil servants should be made to account for their work. If you’re not delivering, you should be sacked!
- Stronger anti-corruption measures – Any worker caught engaging in bribery or looting should face serious punishment.
- Digitalization of government services – The more things move online, the less we have to deal with incompetent government workers.
If we continue on this path as a country, our government parastatals will keep failing, and Nigeria will remain a country where nothing works.
Nepotism is not just an unfair practice—it is a cancer that is killing our development. Until we wake up and start valuing competence over connection, our government institutions will continue to be dumping grounds for the privileged and useless to the rest of us. And the worst part? We, the citizens, will keep suffering for it.