Employee Motivation, Reward Systems, And Talent Retention In The Nigerian Public Service: Challenges And Policy Implications

Abstract

Employee motivation, reward systems and talent retention constitute critical dimensions of human resource management and public-sector performance. However, the public service continues to experience challenges associated with inadequate remuneration, delayed promotion, limited career advancement, weak recognition systems, politicization of personnel administration, poor working conditions, and reliance on recent peer-reviewed journal articles and other conditions, inequitable reward distribution, inadequate professional development, and declining employee morale. These challenges have increased concerns about the ability of public institutions to attract, motivate and retain highly skilled personnel. This study examined the relationship between employee motivation, reward systems and talent retention in the Nigerian public service, with particular attention to the challenges confronting existing human resource practices and their implications for public-sector policy. The study adopted a qualitative narrative literature-review design and relied on recent peer-reviewed journal articles and relevant scholarly publications, particularly studies published between 2024 and 2026. Data were subjected to thematic content analysis. The findings indicate that employee motivation in the Nigerian public service is multidimensional and cannot be explained by salary alone. Monetary compensation remains important, particularly under conditions of inflation and declining purchasing power. The paper concludes that talent retention in the Nigerian public service requires an integrated reward architecture that combines competitive compensation with career development, merit-based advancement, recognition, employee participation, professional development and improved working conditions. It recommends the institutionalisation of transparent reward policies, periodic compensation review, merit-based promotion, strategic talent management, performance-linked recognition, leadership development, digital human-resource systems and stronger accountability mechanisms