The Oyo State Government has ruled out any plan to extend the retirement age of teachers and civil servants from 60 to 65 years, saying such a move would reduce employment opportunities for young graduates in the state.
Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Olayiwola, made this known while speaking at the Second Multidisciplinary International Conference of the Postgraduate College, Lead City University, Ibadan.
Olayiwola explained that the State Executive Council had considered the proposal on several occasions but decided against it after assessing its likely impact on job creation and youth inclusion.
“We discussed this issue at five different executive meetings. It started with teachers, but later other civil servants also wanted to be included,” the commissioner said.
“After thorough debate, we agreed that increasing the retirement age would deny younger people employment opportunities. In a state like Niger, where the population and number of graduates are smaller, it may work. But in Oyo State, if those due to retire this year stayed an additional five years, the 15,000 teachers we recently recruited might never have had that chance.”
The Federal Government had earlier approved a similar age extension for clinically skilled health workers, citing the need to retain experienced hands to strengthen healthcare delivery and training. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has since called for the policy to be extended to all public sector workers.
Some states, including Ekiti and Niger, have already adopted the new retirement policy. Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti recently approved a five-year extension for teachers, raising their retirement age to 65 years and service period to 40 years, while Niger State has announced plans to begin implementation by January 1, 2026.
Olayiwola stressed that Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration would continue to focus on creating employment opportunities for the youth rather than extending tenure for those already in service.
According to him, “The government believes in empowering the younger generation and expanding job opportunities, not blocking their chances through prolonged service years.”
