By Ogbeni Olawale Dawodu
The Federal Government has abolished the practice of placing civil servants on a mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave, directing all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to stop the practice with immediate effect.
The directive was contained in a circular titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” 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 public officials.
According to the circular, the widely adopted practice of asking officers due for retirement to leave their posts three months before their official exit date has no legal backing in the Public Service Rules (PSR).
“The so-called ‘mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave’ has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” Walson-Jack stated.
She explained that several MDAs had misinterpreted the retirement notice period as an automatic leave entitlement, resulting in the premature withdrawal of experienced officers from active service.
Clarifying the provisions of Rule 120243, the Head of Service said the rule only requires officers approaching retirement to provide three months’ notice, attend a one-month pre-retirement workshop or seminar, and use the remaining period to reconcile service records and pension documentation.
“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 remain in active service throughout the notice period and are expected to continue performing their duties unless they are attending approved retirement programmes or are otherwise 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 directed to stop compelling retiring officers to vacate their offices before their official retirement dates.
Under the new directive, retiring officers are expected to continue discharging their responsibilities while participating in approved pre-retirement programmes and completing all necessary pension and service record documentation.
The Federal Government said the clarification is aimed at ensuring uniform implementation of the Public Service Rules across public institutions and preventing the loss of manpower caused by the early disengagement of experienced personnel.
The circular further directed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, chairpersons of statutory agencies and chief executives of government organisations to circulate the directive to all staff and ensure strict compliance.
Nigeria’s federal civil service retirement system, governed by the Public Service Rules and the Pension Reform Act, requires officers to retire upon attaining 60 years of age or after 35 years of service, whichever comes first.
The government expressed confidence that the measure would strengthen service delivery by allowing retiring officers to continue contributing their expertise until their official retirement dates while also completing the documentation required for seamless pension processing.
