The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately discontinue the practice of placing civil servants on a mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave, stating that such a provision is not contained in the Public Service Rules (PSR).
The directive was issued in a circular signed 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 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 explained that Rule 120243 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 complete pension documentation.
According to the Head of Service, retiring officers remain in active service during the notice period and are expected to continue performing their official duties unless they are attending approved retirement programmes or are otherwise on authorised leave.
The circular stressed that MDAs should no longer compel officers to vacate their positions before their official retirement dates, noting that the practice has no basis in the Public Service Rules.
Under the new directive, retiring officers are to continue discharging their responsibilities while completing retirement-related documentation and participating in approved pre-retirement activities.
Walson-Jack also directed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, chairpersons of statutory agencies and chief executives of government organisations to ensure the circular is brought to the attention of all staff and strictly implemented.
The clarification is expected to affect thousands of federal civil servants nearing retirement and is aimed at standardising the application of the Public Service Rules across government institutions.
For years, many MDAs treated the three-month retirement notice period as an extended leave, requiring officers to stop reporting for duty once retirement notices were submitted. The government said the new directive would help retain experienced personnel until their official exit dates and improve service delivery while ensuring timely completion of pension documentation and record verification.