The Federal Government has directed ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to immediately stop the practice of placing civil servants on compulsory three-month pre-retirement leave, describing it as a misinterpretation of existing Public Service Rules.
The directive was contained in a circular issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, and addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, heads of agencies and other senior government officials.
According to the circular titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” the widely adopted practice of mandatory pre-retirement leave has no legal backing under the Public Service Rules.
Walson-Jack explained that several government agencies had wrongly treated the required three-month retirement notice period as an automatic leave period, leading to the premature disengagement of officers from active service.
She clarified that the rule only requires officers approaching retirement to provide a three-month notice before their retirement date, attend a one-month pre-retirement seminar, and use the remaining period to reconcile service records and pension documentation.
Under Nigeria’s civil service regulations, public officers retire upon attaining 60 years of age or completing 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
The Head of Service noted that the new directive is aimed at ensuring uniform implementation of the Public Service Rules across all government institutions while preventing the loss of experienced personnel before their official retirement dates.
“The so-called mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” she stated.
She further explained that Rule 120243 outlines three separate obligations for retiring officers: submission of retirement notice, participation in a pre-retirement workshop during the first month, and completion of retirement documentation during the remaining period.
“A retiring officer must give three months’ notice before their effective date of retirement. This is a notice requirement, not a leave entitlement,” the circular stated.
Walson-Jack stressed that officers due for retirement remain in active service throughout the notice period and are expected to continue performing their official duties unless they are attending approved pre-retirement programmes or have been granted leave under existing regulations.
“PSR 120243 does not exempt retiring officers from official duties during the notice period, except where they are attending an approved pre-retirement workshop or seminar, or are otherwise authorised to be absent under extant leave rules,” the circular added.
Consequently, all MDAs have been instructed to stop directing retiring officers to vacate their positions before their official retirement dates.
Under the revised interpretation, retiring officers are expected to remain at work, participate in approved retirement preparation programmes and complete all pension and service-related documentation before exiting the service.
The circular also directed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, heads of statutory agencies and chief executives of government organisations to ensure the directive is communicated to all staff members and fully implemented.
The Federal Government said the move is expected to strengthen service delivery by allowing retiring officers to continue contributing their expertise until their official exit while simultaneously completing necessary retirement procedures.
