Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health has ordered the immediate retirement of all directors who have served eight or more years in the directorate cadre, as the federal government moves to strictly enforce a long-established but largely ignored tenure policy across the public service.
In a circular addressed to chief executives of federal health agencies, medical directors, registrars, and other heads of institutions, the ministry stated that the Revised Public Service Rules (PSR 020909) mandate compulsory retirement for directors who have spent eight years in the directorate cadre.
The memo, signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, who oversees the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, 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 (PSR 020909)… all affected officers who have spent eight years as Directors, effective 31st December, 2025, are disengaged from Service immediately."
The directive covers directors serving in the ministry, federal hospitals, and affiliated agencies. Heads of institutions were instructed to ensure affected officers hand over all official documents and assets without delay, with salaries to be stopped through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). Any emoluments paid beyond an officer's effective retirement date must be refunded to the Federal Government treasury.
The policy is rooted in the Revised Public Service Rules approved by the Federal Executive Council on September 27, 2021, and made operational from July 27, 2023. Under Section 020909 of the revised rules, a director on Grade Level 17 or equivalent must compulsorily retire after eight years in that position, while permanent secretaries are limited to a four-year tenure, renewable only upon satisfactory performance.
The health ministry's directive follows a broader circular issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, referenced as Ref. No. HSCF/3065/Vol.I/225, dated February 10, 2026, mandating all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to implement the tenure policy without further delay.
Officials from both the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Ministry of Health will conduct monitoring visits to ensure full compliance. Institutions that fail to adhere, particularly regarding disengagement and salary stoppage, will face "stiff sanctions", the circular warned.