Civil Servants Must Continue Working Until Official Retirement Date – FG Tells MDAs
The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately stop the practice of placing civil servants on compulsory three-month pre-retirement leave, clarifying that such a provision does not exist in the Public Service Rules (PSR).
The directive was contained in an official circular dated May 13, 2026, and signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack.
The circular was addressed to ministers, permanent secretaries, directors-general, heads of extra-ministerial departments, service chiefs, chairpersons of statutory agencies, and chief executive officers across the federal public service.
According to the Office of the Head of Civil Service, several MDAs have been wrongly interpreting Public Service Rule 120243 by treating the mandatory three-month retirement notice period as a leave period, thereby directing affected officers to vacate their duty posts before their actual retirement date.
The government described the practice as inconsistent with the provisions of the extant Public Service Rules.
“It has come to the attention of this Office that some Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have continued to treat the three-month notice period preceding retirement as a mandatory leave period, contrary to the provisions of the extant Public Service Rules (PSR),” the circular stated.
Under Public Service Rule 120243, civil servants intending to retire are required to issue a three-month notice before their effective retirement date.
However, the government clarified that the notice requirement should not be mistaken for an automatic leave entitlement.
According to the circular, the first month of the notice period is specifically reserved for attendance at approved pre-retirement workshops and seminars designed to prepare officers for life after active service.
“Officers are required to give three months’ notice to retire from Service before the effective date of retirement,” the circular explained.
“At the commencement of three months, Officers should proceed immediately on the mandatory one-month pre-retirement workshop/seminar. For the remaining two months, retiring Officers are expected to take necessary measures to put their records straight to facilitate the speedy processing of their retirement benefits.”
The government further clarified that the provisions under the Public Service Rules establish three separate obligations and not compulsory leave from official duties.
According to the circular, the first requirement is for retiring officers to formally issue a three-month retirement notice before the effective date of retirement.
Secondly, officers are expected to participate in approved pre-retirement training programmes during the first month of the notice period.
The third requirement involves the regularization of service records, pension documentation, and other retirement-related matters within the remaining two months to ensure smooth processing of retirement benefits.
“A retiring officer must give three months’ notice before their effective date of retirement. This is a notice requirement, not a leave entitlement,” the circular added.
“During the first month of the notice period, officers must attend an approved MDA-mandated pre-retirement programme.”
“During the remaining two months, officers are expected to regularize their service records, pension documentation, and other retirement-related matters to facilitate seamless processing of their benefits.”
Consequently, the Federal Government directed all MDAs to discontinue the practice of compelling officers to vacate their duty posts based on what it described as a “non-existent provision” in the Public Service Rules.
The circular stressed that retiring officers are expected to continue discharging their official responsibilities throughout the notice period unless otherwise approved by the appropriate authorities.
The government also instructed MDAs to ensure timely participation of retiring officers in approved workshops and seminars while facilitating prompt processing of pension records and retirement entitlements.
According to the directive, all agencies are expected to ensure proper reconciliation of service records and retirement documentation within the stipulated period to avoid unnecessary delays in payment of benefits.
The Office of the Head of Civil Service further instructed permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, and heads of government institutions to circulate the directive widely and ensure strict compliance across the public service.
The latest clarification is expected to address long-standing confusion surrounding retirement procedures within some government institutions, where retiring officers were often required to leave office months before their official retirement dates.
Labour and public service analysts say the directive could help improve workforce efficiency and reduce administrative gaps created by the premature exit of experienced officers from service.
The move also comes amid broader efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen public service administration, improve transparency in civil service operations, and ensure strict adherence to established rules and procedures.
