Employee Performance and Human Capital Politics in Public Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria (A Study of University of Ilorin, Ilorin and Benue State University Markudi)

The decline in academic performance has been a topic that various thinkers have questioned. However, the politics of human capital on employee performance in Nigerian public universities remains underexplored. This study investigates the relationship between the politics of human capital and employee performance in Nigerian public universities, focusing on the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) and Benue State University (BSU). The study aims to evaluate the degree of nepotism in the selection of staff for human capital development, assess the politics of standard operating procedures in the selection of staff for human capital development, and examine job performance. A mixedmethods design was employed, with a sample size of 378 academic and administrative staff from 6717. The findings reveal a significant relationship between HCP and employee performance. The HCP01 (training and skill development) has the strongest relationship, while HCP02 and HCP03 (educational qualifications and background, and innovation or leadership development) have weaker relationships. The study recommends, among others, the need for merit-based exercises and anti-nepotism policies, empowered by law, to ensure equitable access to development opportunities, in collaboration with regulatory bodies, to strengthen Human capital advancement.