The Kebbi State Government on Monday approved the extension of the retirement age for medical and veterinary doctors in the civil service.
The Kebbi State Government on Monday approved the extension of the retirement age for medical and veterinary doctors in it’s employ.
As is the case with the rest of the federation, retirement was pegged at 60 and length of 35 years, respectively.
The Kebbi Commissioner for Establishment, Pension, and Training, Auwal Dogondaji, announced the development to reporters following the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held on Monday at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi.
Mr Dogondaji said the SEC observed that the previous public service retirement policy had led to the premature loss of highly skilled specialists, surgeons, and consultants who were often at the peak of their clinical experience between 55 and 65 years of age.
“By extending their years of service, Kebbi aims to retain these fit and active professionals so they can continue to contribute significantly to healthcare delivery, training, and mentorship.”
He added that the strategic intervention forms part of the state government’s proactive measures to address persistent challenges in the health sector, including acute doctor shortages, the continued brain drain of medical professionals, and workforce gaps resulting from retirements.
The official added that veterinary doctors were fully included in the new policy.
“However, to ensure the highest standards of service delivery, SEC stipulated that retention beyond the age of 60 or 35 years of service shall be strictly subject to annual medical fitness certification and satisfactory performance appraisal.
“The new retirement policy takes retrospective effect from 1st January 2026.”
