NSIA: How We Picked Abba Kyari As Assistant Vice President – Orji

The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), today, released its audited financial report for the year 2018 and projections for the current year.

The Managing Director of the NSIA, Mr Uche Orji, also used the occasion to put the record straight on the appointment of Aisha Abba Kyari, daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, into the organization.

Answering a question on the controversy regarding Abba Kyari’s appointment as an Assistant Vice President at the NSIA, Orji said media reports about breach of due process in Abba Kyari’s employment were false and baseless.

Orji described some of the information being peddled about the new Assistant Vice President’s staffing as “fake news,” urging the public to disregard them.

The NSIA MD made the clarification during a press conference in Abuja after a civil rights organization, the Coalition Against Corruption and Bad Governance (CACOBAG) alleged that due process was not observed in Abba Kyari’s appointment into the organization.

“Now let me speak about the Assistant Vice President issue. A lot of these things out there are fake news.”

Orji also dispelled rumours that the Authority did not advertise the position before hiring Abba Kyari.

“We have been advertising roles in NSIA. Sometimes we don’t attach specific titles to it.

“At times we advertise roles for the people to work in our infrastructure fund and sometimes in the other funds that we run in NSIA and this too was advertised,” he said.

Orji further revealed that just as the Assistant Vice President’s position was advertised, there are other roles currently being advertised by the Authority.

“Was it advertised? Yes. Was it secretly done? No. Even as you sit right now there are positions being advertised,” he said.

The NSIA said the organization has advertised about 14 roles since 2018, adding that the Authority usually publicizes  its vacancies through its consultants.

“So we work through our consultants of course. This (vacancy advertisement) for us is business as usual. And regarding the titles (of jobs), unfortunately NSIA’s titles are in parlance with what we have with the partners we work with internationally,” said Orji.

He said just like international investment banks or international assets management companies, the NSIA has structured managerial positions. The MD also revealed that the Abba Kyari was hired as ‘Assistant Vice President I (AVP I)’.

“NSIA has twenty-two levels (of management positions) from beginning to the end. Assistant Vice President 1 (AVP1) is at level 9 and there’s 10, 11, 12 and so on.”

Speaking further, Orji said it takes a long time to hire people and that there is a process that is being followed by the Authority to engage new people.

“We have consulting firms that advertise these roles for the NSIA and this too (Abba Kyari’s position) was advertised.”

THE WHISTLER carried out checks on the official website of the NSIA, where the Authority stated the processes being followed to hire new hands into the organisation.

“Entry level employees candidate join the organisation as Analysts. The recruitment exercise starts with written tests and essays. Successful candidates then undergo a minimum of two levels of interviews before a final selection is made.

“Employment evaluation for experience hires is function specific. Such assessments include modelling test, competency tests, interviews, strategy presentations and essay amongst others,” the website partly reads.