Cabal Influence, Salary Discrepancies Rock Niger Delta Power Holding Company

Fresh intel from a credible anonymous source within the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has raised concerns over alleged internal corruption, manipulation by a powerful cabal, and systemic exploitation of technical staff under the leadership of Managing Director, Engr. Jennifer Adighije.

According to the insider, most of the agency’s technical personnel working on field projects are not confirmed staff but operate as temporary employees contracted through third parties.

The source alleged that the arrangement has enabled massive financial exploitation, with a large portion of the salaries meant for technical staff allegedly diverted before reaching them.

“For instance, where the system pays around ₦1.5 million for a technical staff, only about ₦400,000 to ₦500,000 eventually gets to the worker,” the source said.

The source explained that the alleged deductions have persisted for years, leaving technical staff, the main workforce responsible for field operations, underpaid and demoralised.

Meanwhile, staff based at the agency’s Abuja headquarters are said to enjoy full employment status, while their counterparts in the field remain unconfirmed despite years of service.

“The system is structured in a way that the confirmed staff are those in Abuja. The ones on the field, who do the main work, are treated as contract staff even after many years,” the source added.

The insider further alleged that most staff have not undergone any formal promotional examination in a long time, a situation believed to have stalled career progression and lowered morale within the agency.

“There hasn’t been a proper promotional exercise for many employees in years. People are just working without growth or clarity,” the source claimed.

When Adighije assumed office as NDPHC’s Managing Director in August 2024, she was reportedly determined to reform the system.

According to findings, she confirmed about 10 technical staff when she was newly appointed and since then stopped.

However, the source claimed that entrenched interests within the organisation, described as a “cabal” have frustrated her efforts.

“She came in with good intentions, but the cabal in the system overpowered her. It’s difficult for her to do anything tangible or reasonable now,” the source said.

The Niger Delta Power Holding Company, jointly owned by the federal, state, and local governments, is responsible for developing and managing power generation and distribution infrastructure across the Niger Delta and other regions.

With such revelations suggesting deep-seated irregularities within one of Nigeria’s key power infrastructure agencies, questions now linger: how extensive is the alleged influence of the so-called cabal, and will the NDPHC leadership confront the internal rot that insiders claim continues to undermine its operations?