The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to stop the practice of sending civil servants on a compulsory three-month leave before retirement. According to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, the Public Service Rules do not provide for such a leave.
In a circular sent to government institutions, Walson-Jack explained that many MDAs had wrongly interpreted the rule requiring workers to give three months’ notice before retirement.
She said that the three-month period is meant for notification, attendance at a one-month pre-retirement seminar, and completion of pension and service record documentation, not for staying away from work.
She clarified that retiring officers are expected to continue performing their duties during the notice period unless they are attending approved retirement workshops or are on authorised leave.
As a result, MDAs have been directed not to force workers to leave their posts before their official retirement dates.
The circular also instructed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries and heads of agencies to ensure full compliance with the directive.
The clarification is expected to affect thousands of federal civil servants approaching retirement each year.
For many years, several government agencies treated the three-month notice period as a form of leave, allowing workers to stop reporting for duty while waiting for retirement processing.
The government believes ending the practice will help retain experienced workers until their official retirement dates and improve service delivery.
Under Nigeria’s Public Service Rules, civil servants retire at the age of 60 or after 35 years of service, whichever comes first. Pre-retirement seminars were introduced to help workers prepare for life after service and complete pension documentation.
The new directive aims to remove confusion by making it clear that the three-month period is mainly for notice and administrative preparation, not automatic leave from work.
