Navigating Ethical Dilemmas: A Comprehensive Analysis of Nepotism and Recruitment Integrity in Nigerian Human Resource Management (2009 - 2025) (Preprint)

UNSTRUCTURED This study explores unethical HR practices in Nigerian organizations, focusing on nepotism, bribery, gender bias, and ethnic favoritism in recruitment, and their impact on organizational performance from 2009 to 2025. Despite various reforms, these unethical practices persist, undermining the fairness of recruitment processes, eroding employee morale, and negatively impacting productivity. This research is motivated by the need to assess the prevalence and ethical implications of nepotism and other unethical practices in Nigerian HRM, understand their impact, and propose practical solutions to enhance recruitment practices. The study aims to address four main objectives: (i) Assess the prevalence of nepotism and its ethical implications in Nigerian HRM practices; (ii) Examine recruitment challenges, including gender bias and ethnic favoritism; (iii) Analyze the impact of unethical HR practices on organizational performance; and (iv) Propose strategies for improving recruitment ethics and reducing nepotism. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining secondary data from reports by Transparency International, the World Bank, and McKinsey Nigeria, with qualitative insights from case studies and interviews. This methodology provides a comprehensive view of the state of HRM practices and the challenges faced by organizations in enforcing ethical recruitment. Results show that unethical practices, especially nepotism, bribery, and gender bias, continue to negatively affect both public and private sectors. Despite efforts such as HR ethics training and legal reforms, these practices persist due to political interference, weak enforcement, and a lack of technological adoption. Nepotism in recruitment was found to be particularly prevalent in government agencies, contributing to high turnover and reduced organizational performance. The study concludes that unethical HR practices continue to undermine recruitment processes, necessitating stronger anti-corruption policies, enhanced HR ethics training, and the integration of technology to increase recruitment fairness. It recommends strengthening legal frameworks, adopting automated recruitment systems, introducing whistleblower protections, and conducting regular audits. In the health sector, ethical recruitment is critical for improving patient care, reducing medical errors, and fostering trust in healthcare services.