The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to strictly enforce the eight-year tenure policy for directors and the statutory tenure limit for permanent secretaries, following renewed instructions from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF).
The directive reinforces compliance with the revised Public Service Rules (PSR) 2021, amid concerns over inconsistent implementation across federal institutions.
Revised Public Service Rules Now Fully Operational
The former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, had earlier announced the implementation of the revised PSR during the 2023 Civil Service Week lecture held at the State House, Abuja.
She confirmed that the updated rules became effective from July 27, 2023, following their approval by the Federal Executive Council on September 27, 2021.
A circular was subsequently issued to permanent secretaries, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Auditor-General for the Federation, and heads of extra-ministerial departments, confirming that the revised Public Service Rules were operational.
According to Section 020909 of the PSR:
Permanent Secretaries are to serve a four-year tenure, renewable only upon satisfactory performance.
Directors on Grade Level 17 (GL 17) and their equivalents must compulsorily retire after eight years in that position.
Fresh Memo Warns Against Haphazard Implementation
In a new memo dated February 10, 2026, the current Head of Civil Service, Didi Walson-Jack, expressed concern over what she described as “haphazard and inconsistent” enforcement of the eight-year tenure policy across MDAs.
The memo referenced earlier circulars and reiterated that the tenure rule remains fully in force under the 2021 edition of the Public Service Rules.
She directed Permanent Secretaries, Directors-General, and Chief Executive Officers of federal government agencies to:
Submit an annual report on the implementation status of the eight-year tenure policy by February 28 every year.
Provide a monthly Nominal Roll of their respective MDAs for monitoring purposes.
The circular warned that non-compliance would attract administrative sanctions, signaling a tougher enforcement approach by the Federal Government.
Concerns Over Attempts to Extend Tenure
Investigations reveal that while some MDAs, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, immediately complied with the revised Public Service Rules, others delayed implementation.
In August 2025, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria raised concerns over alleged attempts to extend the tenure of certain directors and permanent secretaries, cautioning against violations of established civil service regulations.
The renewed directive appears aimed at eliminating ambiguities and ensuring uniform compliance across the Federal Public Service.
