EFFECTS OF NEPOTISM ON THE ETHICAL COMPETENCE AND PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA

CHIDINMA BRIDGET UCHE; GODBLESS ONORIODE AKAIGHE; OLUSOLA AYODEINDE ONI; ABIOLA USMAN ASEKUN

CHIDINMA BRIDGET UCHE University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
GODBLESS ONORIODE AKAIGHE University of Sheffield. UK
OLUSOLA AYODEINDE ONI University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
ABIOLA USMAN ASEKUN National Orthopaedic Hospital, Jibowu, Yaba

Keywords: Nepotism, Ethical Competence, Performance, Public Sector, Nigeria

Abstract

Nepotism in the public sector has dire consequences for the effective management of public institutions and trickling down to poor service delivery to the populace, such as public water supply, public health services, and infrastructural development. This study examined the effects of nepotism on the ethical competence and performance of public institutions in Nigeria. This study adopted a survey research design. Sample respondents to the survey were drawn from two public sector organisations in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of one hundred and eighty respondents participated in the survey, through the purposive sampling technique. The data were analysed using Pearson’s correlation analysis. The study empirically established that nepotism has an effect on the ethical competence and performance of public institutions. It is suggested that in other for the Government to curb nepotism as an ethical or moral problem in Nigeria, a law should be added or passed to the labour laws to deal with nepotism in the workplace that defines the issues, and the penalty or punishment for the offender. The study has implications for institutional reforms, public policy management, and human resource practices in the public sector, towards institutional and economic development of Nigeria.