Export Council, Workers Debunk Planned Strike Reports

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), NEPC Unit, have dismissed reports alleging that workers of the organisation are planning to embark on a strike.

They described the claims as false and urged the public to disregard them.
The clarification followed a joint meeting between the council’s management and the leadership of ASCSN, where both parties reaffirmed that there was no planned or contemplated industrial action and that industrial harmony continued to prevail within the organisation.

In a statement issued by the head of Corporate Communications, Aliu Seidu Sadiq, the Council described the reported strike as “false, baseless and should be disregarded by the general public.”
The statement quoted the chairman of the ASCSN, NEPC Unit, Comrade Moruf Ogunlana, as saying the union was neither consulted nor involved in any purported strike call, contrary to claims contained in some online reports.

Ogunlana who reaffirmed that the Council continues to enjoy industrial harmony, disassociated the union from the publications and pledged continued cooperation with the management.
The council also dismissed reports alleging the appointment of directors, clarifying that no such appointments had been made. It explained that management would continue to operate with the existing organisational structure while strengthening staff capacity through continuous training and skills development.

According to the statement, the executive director and chief executive officer, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, has expanded opportunities for career advancement by widening the directorate cadre and creating promotion pathways across all staff levels.

It added that more than 75 per cent of NEPC employees have benefited from professional training programmes since 2023 as part of efforts to improve staff welfare and institutional capacity.

The Council further highlighted the establishment of the Export Skills Acquisition Centre (ESAC), which has trained over 500 youths and women in garment and bag production for export.

On the allegations of favouritism and nepotism, both the management and the union described the claims as unfounded and inconsistent with the realities within the Council.

The union maintained that Ayeni has consistently demonstrated fairness, professionalism and inclusiveness in managing the Council’s workforce, treating all employees equitably regardless of tribe or religious background.

The statement further noted that under Ayeni’s leadership, the Council recorded Nigeria’s highest-ever non-oil export value of $6.1 billion in 2025. It also implemented a third-party certification programme covering HACCP, FDA, HALAL and ISO standards, enabling more than 150 exporters to obtain internationally recognised certifications and improve access to global markets.

The Council urged the public to ignore the misleading reports and reiterated its commitment to maintaining industrial harmony while advancing Nigeria’s non-oil export agenda in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.