The Federal Government has ordered all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to stop the long-standing practice of placing civil servants on compulsory three-month leave before retirement, stating that such a policy is not recognised under the Public Service Rules (PSR).
The directive was conveyed in a circular issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, and sent to ministers, permanent secretaries, heads of agencies, service chiefs and other senior officials across the public sector.
In the circular titled, “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” obtained in Abuja, the Head of Service explained that several government institutions had wrongly treated the mandatory retirement notice period as an automatic leave arrangement, thereby withdrawing officers from active duty ahead of their official retirement dates.
She clarified that the Public Service Rule only mandates officers nearing retirement to issue a three-month notice before leaving service, attend a one-month pre-retirement seminar, and use the remaining period to finalise pension documentation and reconcile service records.
According to Walson-Jack, there is
no provision anywhere in the PSR that authorises a compulsory three-month pre-retirement leave.
She noted that Rule 120243 outlines three separate obligations: notification of retirement, participation in a pre-retirement workshop during the first month, and completion of retirement documentation within the remaining two months.
“The requirement for officers to give three months’ notice before retirement is strictly for notification purposes and should not be mistaken for leave entitlement,” the circular stated.
The Head of Service further stressed that officers approaching retirement remain full public servants throughout the notice period and are expected to continue performing their official responsibilities except when attending approved retirement seminars or when granted leave in line with existing regulations.
She added that the rule does not excuse retiring officers from work during the notice period unless they are participating in approved pre-retirement programmes or have received proper authorisation for absence under extant leave provisions.
Consequently, all MDAs were instructed to stop directing officers due for retirement to vacate their offices before their official exit dates.
Under the new instruction, government institutions are expected to ensure retiring workers continue carrying out their duties, attend authorised retirement workshops and complete all pension-related documentation and record verification before disengagement.
The circular also directed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, chairpersons of statutory bodies and chief executives of government agencies to circulate the directive among staff members and enforce strict adherence.
The clarification is expected to impact thousands of federal civil servants preparing for retirement annually.
For many years, several MDAs interpreted the three-month notice requirement as an extended leave period, often asking workers to stop reporting to work immediately after submitting retirement notices.
As a result, many employees spent the entire period away from duty while waiting for retirement and pension processes to be completed.
The latest directive is aimed at ensuring uniform application of the Public Service Rules across government establishments and preventing the loss of experienced manpower caused by early disengagement of officers.
The government also believes the policy will strengthen service delivery by allowing retiring personnel to continue contributing their expertise up until their official retirement dates while completing necessary pension procedures.
Nigeria’s retirement system for federal civil servants is regulated by the Public Service Rules and the Pension Reform Act.
Under the existing framework, workers retire after reaching 60 years of age or completing 35 years in service, whichever occurs first.
Over the years, pension delays and inconsistencies in service records have remained major concerns for retiring officers, prompting efforts by government to encourage early verification and
proper documentation.
To tackle these issues, pre-retirement workshops were introduced to help officers prepare for post-service life and guide them through pension processing requirements. However, varying interpretations of the Public Service Rules across MDAs fuelled the widespread assumption that workers were entitled to compulsory three-month leave before retirement.
The new circular is intended to remove that misunderstanding by making it clear that the three-month period is essentially for notification and administrative preparation, not automatic absence from work.
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