The directive was issued in a circular by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, and circulated to ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, agency heads and other senior officials.
Titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” the circular clarifies that what is often treated as a three-month leave before retirement is actually a notice period, not an automatic break from duty.
According to the Head of Service, Rule 120243 sets out three separate requirements for officers approaching retirement: a three-month notice of exit, attendance at a one-month pre-retirement programme, and the use of the remaining period to complete documentation and pension-related processes.
She stressed that the rule does not grant retiring officers an entitlement to stay away from work for the entire three months.
“The so-called ‘mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave’ has no basis in the Public Service Rules,” the circular stated, adding that officers remain in service throughout the notice period except when officially attending approved programmes or granted leave under existing regulations.
The government noted that several MDAs have misapplied the rule by treating the notice period as a full disengagement window, effectively removing officers from duty before their official retirement dates.
Under the revised clarification, retiring civil servants are expected to continue their duties while simultaneously participating in approved retirement training and completing documentation for pension processing.
The directive also instructs all MDAs to stop compelling officers to vacate their posts before their retirement date and to ensure strict compliance going forward.
For years, many federal agencies have treated the final three months of service as a de facto exit period, with officers often staying away from work while awaiting retirement processing. The government says this practice has contributed to manpower gaps and inconsistent service delivery.
Nigeria’s public service retirement structure is governed by the Public Service Rules and the Pension Reform Act. Officers retire at either 60 years of age or after 35 years in service, whichever comes first.
While pre-retirement workshops were introduced to help workers prepare for life after service and complete pension documentation, differing interpretations across MDAs gradually created the belief that the period amounted to mandatory leave.
The new directive is aimed at standardising implementation across the civil service and ensuring that the final months of service are treated as an active working period with defined administrative requirements.
