The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately discontinue the practice of placing civil servants on mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave, clarifying that such a provision does not exist in the Public Service Rules (PSR).
The directive was issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, 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 noted that several MDAs had wrongly interpreted the three-month retirement notice period as an automatic leave entitlement, resulting in the premature withdrawal of officers from active service.
According to her, Public Service Rule 120243 only requires officers approaching retirement to provide three months’ notice, attend a one-month pre-retirement seminar or workshop, and utilise the remaining period to regularise service records and pension documentation.
“The so-called mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” the Head of Service stated.
She explained that the rule establishes three separate obligations: notification of retirement, participation in approved pre-retirement programmes, and completion of administrative requirements before retirement.
The circular emphasised that retiring officers remain full public servants throughout the notice period and are expected to continue performing their official duties unless attending approved workshops or 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 stated.
As a result, all MDAs have been directed to stop compelling officers due for retirement to vacate their offices before their official retirement dates.
Under the directive, retiring officers are expected to continue discharging their responsibilities while simultaneously participating in approved retirement preparation programmes and completing pension documentation processes.
The Head of Service also instructed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, chairpersons of statutory agencies and chief executives of government organisations to ensure strict compliance with the new directive.
The clarification is expected to impact thousands of federal civil servants approaching retirement annually.
For years, many government institutions treated the three-month notice period as a form of extended leave, often directing officers to stop reporting for work immediately after submitting retirement notices. The new directive seeks to standardise implementation of the Public Service Rules and prevent the loss of experienced manpower before official retirement dates.
The Federal Government believes the measure will improve service delivery by allowing retiring officers to continue contributing their expertise while completing retirement and pension documentation.
