The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately stop the practice of placing civil servants on a mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave, declaring that 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, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, through a circular addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, heads of agencies and other senior government officials.
In the circular titled, “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” Walson-Jack clarified that the three-month period before retirement is a notice and administrative preparation window, not an automatic leave entitlement.
She noted that several MDAs had wrongly interpreted the rule by directing officers due for retirement to stop reporting for duty months before their official retirement dates.
According to the Head of Service, Rule 120243 requires retiring officers to give three months’ notice before retirement, attend a one-month pre-retirement seminar or workshop, and utilise the remaining period to reconcile service records and complete pension documentation.
“The so-called mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” she stated.
Walson-Jack explained that retiring officers remain in active service throughout the notice period and are expected to continue performing their official duties except when attending approved pre-retirement programmes or when granted leave under existing regulations.
She stressed that the rule does not exempt officers from work during the notice period and directed all MDAs to ensure retiring staff continue to discharge their responsibilities until their official exit dates.
The circular further instructed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, chairpersons of statutory agencies and chief executives of government organisations to circulate the directive among staff and ensure strict compliance.
The clarification is expected to affect thousands of federal civil servants approaching retirement annually.
For years, many government agencies had treated the three-month notice period as a form of extended leave, often requiring workers to vacate their offices while awaiting retirement processing.
The Federal Government said the new directive is aimed at standardising the implementation of the Public Service Rules, preventing the premature loss of experienced personnel and improving service delivery across public institutions.
Under Nigeria’s Public Service Rules, civil servants retire upon attaining 60 years of age or after 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
