Evaluating employee engagement drivers in Nigeria's downstream electricity sub-sector

Abstract

This paper focuses on employee engagement in a sector that transitioned from a fully government-owned to a privatized entity while retaining the majority of the legacy staff and bringing in new employees. The electricity sector has always piqued the interest of investors due to its strategic importance to the growth and development of other sectors, particularly in developing countries. This paper investigates some of the factors that influence employee engagement in the Nigerian power and electricity subsector. The study includes 824 employees from Nigeria's downstream electricity sector. Descriptive and ordinal regression analyses were used to determine the relationships between the variables. The study reveals that parameters such as office ambiance, clear communication, tool availability, health, and safety have relationships with or impact employee engagement. As a result, organizations' management must pay attention to and improve on them in order to retain their employees and provide their best discretionary effort. This research expands on theories of engagement in the post-privatization era and investigates the influence of key drivers on employee engagement in Nigeria's downstream power sector.