Nigerian govt scraps mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave for civil servants

The Federal Government has directed each Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to instantly discontinue the signifier of placing civilian servants connected a mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave, clarifying that specified a proviso does not beryllium successful the Public Service Rules, PSR.

The directive was contained successful a 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 apical authorities officials, including ministers, imperishable secretaries, heads of agencies, work chiefs, and different cardinal nationalist assemblage institutions.

According to the circular, immoderate MDAs person been wrongly interpreting Public Service Rule 120243 by treating the three-month announcement play preceding status arsenic compulsory leave, thereby requiring officers to vacate their duties earlier their authoritative status date.

The Office of the Head of Civil Service stated “It has travel to the attraction of this Office that immoderate Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs) person continued to dainty the three-month announcement play preceding status arsenic a mandatory permission period, contrary to the provisions of the extant Public Service Rules (PSR).”

Under PSR 120243, officers are required to springiness 3 months’ announcement earlier retirement. 

 “Officers are required t...