The Oyo State Government has rejected the proposal to extend the retirement age of teachers and civil servants from 60 to 65 years, saying such a move would block employment opportunities for young graduates.
The state made its position clear during the Second Multidisciplinary International Conference of the Postgraduate College, held at Lead City University, Ibadan. The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Segun Olayiwola, who represented the state government, said the Executive Council thoroughly reviewed the proposal but decided against it.
According to him, the policy was debated at five separate Executive Council meetings, with both teachers and other civil servants pushing to be included.
“The initial focus was on teachers, but later, other civil servants demanded inclusion,” Olayiwola said. “Eventually, we agreed that raising the retirement age would deny younger people employment opportunities.”
He explained that while such a policy might work in states with smaller populations and fewer graduates, like Niger State, it would be unsuitable for Oyo State.
“In a state like Niger, where the population and number of graduates are smaller, it may work,” he said. “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 opportunity.”
The commissioner stressed that Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration is focused on job creation, especially for the youth, and would not implement policies that shut the door on new job seekers.
“Our priority is to empower young people, reduce unemployment, and promote inclusive economic growth,” he added.
The discussion around extending retirement age gained momentum after the Federal Government approved a five-year extension for clinically skilled health workers. The policy aims to retain experienced professionals and improve healthcare services.
Following the approval, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) urged the government to apply the same extension to other sectors of public service. Some states have already taken steps in that direction.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, recently approved a retirement age extension for teachers in the state. Under the new rule, teachers in Ekiti can now serve up to 65 years of age or complete 40 years of service, whichever comes first. Niger State has also announced that it will begin implementing a similar policy starting from January 1, 2026.
However, Oyo State has chosen a different path, saying that the focus should be on creating jobs for the growing number of young graduates, rather than extending the years of service for older workers.
