BREAKING: Nigerian Govt orders immediate retirement of long-serving directors
Nigerian Government Mandates Disengagement of Long-Serving Directors
The Nigerian government, via the Federal Ministry of Health, has announced the immediate disengagement of directors who have served eight years or longer within the directorate cadre.
This directive affects individuals in the ministry, as well as federal hospitals and related agencies, according to a memorandum obtained in Abuja on Tuesday. The measure follows a previous instruction that required all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to enforce an eight-year tenure policy for directors and permanent secretaries, aligning with a revised deadline set by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
In the memo signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, acting in the capacity of Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, the enforcement of this policy was emphasized. The memorandum states, “Further to the Eight (8)-Year Tenure Policy of the Federal Public Service, which mandates the compulsory retirement of Directors after eight years in that rank, as provided in the Revised Public Service Rules 2021, I am directed to remind you to take necessary action to ensure that all affected officers who have spent eight years as Directors, effective December 31, 2025, are disengaged from service immediately.”
The communication instructs all heads of agencies and parastatals to ensure that the affected officers promptly hand over official documents and government property. It also includes directives for the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) Unit to cease payment of salaries to these individuals, indicating that any emoluments disbursed beyond their disengagement date must be refunded to the treasury.
The memo further references a circular issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, dated February 10, 2026, reiterating the necessity of compliance.
Agencies are required to submit the nominal roll of all directorate officers to designated email addresses. The memo concludes with a warning that non-compliance will result in severe sanctions.
