Written by: Economics Professor Al-Mabrouk Derbash – Peer-reviewed academic research
Nepotism is considered one of the major obstacles to good governance and the development of the public sector in Libya. It distorts recruitment and promotion processes, weakens institutional capacity, and undermines citizens’ trust in state institutions. More importantly, it undermines the foundations of sound administrative planning, a necessary process for aligning human resources with national priorities, delivering services efficiently, and achieving innovation in the public sector.
The failure of strategic planning in recruitment, promotion, and professional development means that Libyan institutions are ultimately filled not with the most competent or qualified individuals, but with those who hold influence and connections.
The failure of strategic human capital planning is one of the causes of inefficiency in Libya, lack of accountability, and weak public sector performance. Without addressing this fundamental issue, broader attempts at public administration reform will not yield results.
In response to these challenges, Libya must place greater emphasis on institutionalizing planning within organizations as part of a comprehensive anti-nepotism campaign. This includes developing and implementing clear recruitment procedures, building capacity in strategic workforce planning, and leveraging data analytics tools to track and evaluate human resource performance.
Focusing on planning does not only improve institutional efficiency; it also reinforces across the entire system that public sector employment is meant to serve the national interest, not personal interests.
In general, eliminating nepotism is not merely a matter of legal reform or moral persuasion, but rather an administrative challenge. By integrating anti-nepotism measures into a comprehensive strategic planning system that includes both administrative and financial dimensions, Libya can begin building a smaller, more productive, representative, and development-oriented public sector.
