Elegbede Abiodun
• Focuses on building a more motivated and people-centred civil service.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new exit benefit scheme granting retiring federal civil servants a gratuity equivalent to 100 per cent of their total annual emolument.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation disclosed this in a statement by Mrs Eno Olotu, Director Press and Public Relations, on Thursday in Abuja.
Olotu said the scheme, which takes effect 1, 2026, is designed to strengthen the welfare structure of the federal civil service and ensure that officers who have served the nation for a minimum of 10 years retire with financial security.
She explained that the approval followed recommendations by an inter-ministerial technical committee set up by the office.
According to her, the committee worked with the National Pension Commission, Budget Office of the Federation and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to develop a sustainable framework for the scheme.
The new exit benefit, she added, complemented the existing Contributory Pension Scheme and was aimed at strengthening retirement income security for federal civil servants in treasury-funded ministries, extra-ministerial departments and agencies.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, commended the council for approving the scheme.
She described it as a bold move that clearly showed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration recognised the dedication, sacrifice, and professionalism of federal civil servants.
“This approval is a profound acknowledgement of the invaluable contributions of our civil servants who have devoted their productive years to public service and national development.
“The exit benefit scheme significantly enhances the retirement package of our officers and boosts confidence in the Federal Government’s commitment to their welfare,” she said.
Walson-Jack also said that the initiative aligned with ongoing reforms aimed at building a more motivated, performance-driven and people-centred civil service.
She added that detailed implementation guidelines would be issued in due course.
The reintroduction of gratuity for federal civil servants comes 22 years after the introduction of the Contributory Pension Scheme. (NAN)
