James Emejo and Deborah Adekoya in Abuja
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) yesterday dismissed reports of an impending industrial action by its workers, describing the claims as false and insisting that operations at the council remained uninterrupted amid continued support from its staff union.
The council said the leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), NEPC Unit, had distanced itself from online reports to that effect, and reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining industrial peace within the organisation.
The clarification followed a joint meeting between NEPC management and the union leadership, where both parties jointly rejected online reports alleging that workers were planning to embark on strike.
In a statement, Head of Corporate Communications, NEPC, Mr. Aliu Seidu Sadiq, said there was no planned or contemplated industrial action in the council.
He described the reports as “false, baseless and misleading,” urging exporters, stakeholders and members of the public to disregard them.
According to the council, the Union Chairman, Mr. Moruf Ogunlana, confirmed that NEPC continues to enjoy industrial harmony, stressing that neither the union nor its members authorised or were consulted on any purported strike action.
The union also formally disassociated itself from the online publications and pledged continued cooperation with the management to advance the council’s mandate.
Responding to allegations surrounding the appointment of directors, NEPC said no such appointments had been made.
Rather, it explained that management would continue to rely on the existing organisational structure while strengthening the capacity of staff across departments to improve operational efficiency.
The council said the strategy reflected the commitment of its Executive Director/Chief Executive , Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, to building internal capacity instead of outsourcing responsibilities.
It also rejected allegations of favouritism and nepotism, noting that both management and the workers’ union found the claims to be unfounded.
The union, according to the statement, commended Ayeni for promoting fairness, professionalism and inclusiveness, insisting that staff members are treated equitably irrespective of tribe or background.
Highlighting the administration’s achievements, NEPC said staff development had received unprecedented attention since 2023, with more than 75 per cent of employees benefiting from professional training programmes.
It added that the Council had expanded opportunities for career progression by widening the directorate cadre and creating advancement pathways across different staff levels.
The statement further cited the establishment of the Export Skills Acquisition Centre (ESAC), which it said has trained over 500 youths and women in garment and bag production for export, as one of the flagship initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s non-oil export ecosystem.
NEPC also pointed to the country’s record $6.1 billion non-oil export earnings in 2025—the highest in the Council’s history—as evidence of the impact of ongoing reforms under Ayeni’s leadership.
It added that more than 150 exporters had benefited from its third-party certification programme covering HACCP, FDA, HALAL and ISO standards, enabling them to meet international quality requirements and penetrate premium global markets.
The council reiterated its commitment to maintaining industrial harmony while working with stakeholders to deepen Nigeria’s non-oil export growth in line with the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.