It is on June 2, 2026 in Abuja The federal government directed ministries, departments and agencies to end the practice of putting retiring civil servants on mandatory three-month leave before retirement, saying the practice was not provided for in the Civil Service Rules, according to a circular from Head of Service Didi Walson-Jack.
The directive followed reports that several MDAs had misinterpreted the retirement notice period as automatic leave, leading to early dismissal of officers and disruptions in personnel and pension documentation processes in the federal civil service.
Clarification of retirement obligations
“The so-called mandatory three-month leave before retirement has no basis in the Public Service Ordinance,” Walson-Jack said, noting that officers must resign, attend a month-long seminar and complete paperwork while still on duty.
She emphasized that the retiring officials remain civil servants during the notice period and that they are expected to continue to perform their duties except when attending approved seminars, adding that it is a period for transition, not for departure.
Long-standing confusion in the civil service
“A retiring official must give notice three months before retirement. This is a requirement for notice, not a right to leave“, it was stated in the circular.
The clarification follows years of inconsistent interpretation in MDAs, where officers were often asked to leave their posts early, affecting continuity of service and pension processing and prompting repeated debates within labor circles.
Workers and stakeholders say the reform could strengthen accountability and ensure retirees pay full contributions by their retirement date.
The development is also reminiscent of earlier public debates on pension administration in the Nigerian civil service, where unions have repeatedly raised concerns over uneven enforcement of rules across agencies, particularly around pension delays and exit procedures.
