The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to stop the practice of placing civil servants on a mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave, saying such a provision does not exist in the Public Service Rules.
The directive was issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, in a circular addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, heads of government agencies, and other senior public officials.
According to the circular, several MDAs have wrongly treated the three-month retirement notice period as an automatic leave period, leading many officers to stop reporting for duty before their official retirement dates.
However, the Head of Service clarified that the Public Service Rules only require retiring officers to give three months’ notice before retirement, attend a one-month pre-retirement seminar, and use the remaining period to complete pension and service-related documentation.
“The so-called mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” the circular stated.
Retiring Officers Must Continue Working
Under the new directive, civil servants approaching retirement are expected to remain in active service until their official retirement dates unless they are attending approved retirement programmes or have been granted leave under existing regulations.
The government explained that the three-month period is primarily intended to allow officers prepare for retirement, update their service records, and complete pension documentation—not to stay away from work.
As a result, ministries and agencies have been instructed to stop asking retiring officers to vacate their offices before their retirement takes effect.
Government Seeks Uniform Application of Rules
The clarification is expected to affect thousands of federal civil servants who retire every year.
For decades, many government institutions interpreted the retirement notice period as a form of terminal leave, allowing workers to stay away from duty while awaiting retirement processing.
The Federal Government believes this practice has led to the early loss of experienced personnel who could still contribute to public service during their final months in office.
Officials say the new directive will help improve service delivery while ensuring retiring workers complete all necessary documentation before leaving government service.
What the Public Service Rules Provide
Under Nigeria’s Public Service Rules, civil servants retire after reaching 60 years of age or completing 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
To help workers prepare for life after service, the government introduced pre-retirement seminars that provide guidance on pension processing, financial planning, and retirement management.
Over the years, differing interpretations of the rules across government institutions created the widespread belief that workers were entitled to a compulsory three-month leave before retirement.
The latest directive seeks to end that misunderstanding by making it clear that the three-month period is a notice and preparation window rather than an automatic leave entitlement.
The Head of Service has directed all MDAs to ensure full compliance with the clarification and communicate the new directive to their staff.
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