Scope of Employment, Nepotism, and Productivity in Nigeria's Public Sector

Nepotism is a widespread phenomenon in the Nigerian public sector that compromises merit in recruitment and organizational effectiveness of governmental institutions. This paper examines the implications of nepotism on employment practices and productivity in the public sector of Nigeria, specifically political patronage systems and their effect on service delivery. Although the government has made significant contributions to the governance process, socio-economic growth, and the provision of services to the populace yet the inability to eliminate nepotism cripples the performance of the public sector. The paper discussed the issues of recruitment, the prevalence of nepotism, and its relationship with the morale of the employees, the effectiveness of organizations and their responsibilities. The theoretical perspectives of the Bureaucracy Theory, Patronage Systems and the Principal- Agent Theory were utilized to illuminate the correlation between nepotism and productivity in the public sector. Some of the most vital findings indicate that political affiliations, nepotism, and clientelism result in inefficiency, lack motivation among employees, and eventually diminish service delivery, especially in critical areas like education, health, and infrastructure. To reduce the adverse effects of nepotism and to improve governance and productivity, the paper concludes by providing policy recommendations aimed at improving merit-based recruitment, reinforce anti-corruption efforts, employee satisfaction and decentralization of decision-making in the public sector.