Metro
Kebbi Extends Retirement Age for Medical, Vet Doctors to 65
The Kebbi State Executive Council has approved the extension of the retirement age for medical and veterinary doctors in the state civil service from 60 to 65 years, in a move aimed at addressing manpower shortages and improving healthcare delivery.
The decision was announced on Monday in Birnin Kebbi by the Commissioner for Establishment, Pension and Training, Alhaji Auwal Manu Dogondaji, shortly after the State Executive Council meeting.
Dogondaji said the policy also extends the years of service for affected professionals from 35 to 40 years, whichever comes first.
According to him, the approval followed efforts by Governor Nasir Idris to strengthen the health sector and improve civil service efficiency.
“Medical and veterinary doctors in the State Civil Service were previously required to retire at the age of 60 in line with the general public service retirement policy,” the commissioner said.
He noted that the health sector continues to face shortages of skilled personnel, migration of professionals, and rising healthcare demands.
“You will find that many doctors attain their peak clinical experience and specialization between the ages of 55 and 65. Forcing retirement at 60 results in the loss of highly skilled consultants, surgeons and specialists who are still fit and actively contributing to service delivery, training and mentorship,” Dogondaji stated.
The commissioner said the policy is designed to retain experienced professionals whose expertise remains critical to the state’s healthcare system.
He added that the measure aligns Kebbi with evolving national and global practices, noting that the Federal Government and several other states have adopted similar policies.
“The Federal Government and some states, including Kogi, Niger and Cross River, as well as several countries around the world, have extended the retirement age for medical professionals to between 66 and 70 years,” he said.
Dogondaji also said the extension would help curb the migration of experienced doctors to states with more attractive conditions of service.
He disclosed that veterinary doctors employed by the state government would also benefit from the new policy.
However, he stressed that officers retained beyond 60 years or 35 years of service must undergo annual medical fitness certification and maintain satisfactory performance ratings.
“Retention beyond 60 years or 35 years of service will be subject to annual medical fitness certification and satisfactory performance appraisal,” he said.
The policy is scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026.
Nigeria’s health sector continues to grapple with brain drain, as medical professionals migrate abroad in search of better working conditions and remuneration, placing pressure on healthcare systems across the country.
Observers say the Kebbi policy is expected to preserve institutional knowledge, strengthen mentorship for younger doctors, and reduce workforce gaps in critical healthcare and veterinary services.
The approval forms part of the state government’s broader efforts to improve public service efficiency and expand access to quality healthcare for residents.
U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Ankara on Tuesday to attend a high-stakes two-day NATO summit which could be overshadowed by differences over defense spending and the war in Iran.
Trump descended from Air Force One, a plane that had been gifted to him by Qatar, after it touched down at the Etimesgut air base, according to live footage broadcast online.
He was greeted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the foot of the stairs.
Erdoğan, who is known to get along well with Trump, chatted with the U.S. president as the two leaders walked along a blue carpet laid out for Trump’s arrival, briefly taking him by the arm.
Trump then greeted some soldiers in Turkish, drawing applause from Erdoğan, before the pair disappeared inside an airport building.
The summit came amid frictions between European NATO allies and Trump, who has long demanded that they increase defence spending and take on more responsibility for the continent’s security.
Trump has also been angered by some allies’ criticism of his war on Iran, as well as what he has slammed as a lack of support for the operation launched alongside Israel.
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has expanded eligibility for its PenCare Initiative pilot to retirees receiving monthly pensions of up to N150,000, aimed at increasing participation and improving healthcare access.
PenCom Director-General, Omolola Oloworaran, said this on Tuesday in Abuja after the third meeting of the Pension Industry Leadership Council (PILC).
Oloworaran said the commission raised the income threshold to attract more participants and generate sufficient data required to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot programme.
According to her, PenCom targets 30,000 beneficiaries under the initiative but has so far enrolled only about 13,000 retirees, making broader participation necessary.
“We need a critical mass to properly test the system. Running a pilot with just 10,000 people will not give us the results we want,” she said.
She said retirees earning monthly pensions of N150,000 or below could now enrol and access free health insurance under the PenCare pilot scheme.
Oloworaran described the new threshold as a temporary measure to boost participation, adding that the commission would review it after the pilot programme was assessed.
“That we have extended it to N150,000 does not mean it will remain there. It is to help us test the system effectively,” she said.
She urged journalists to support awareness efforts, noting that many low-income retirees were still unaware of the programme and its healthcare benefits.
Oloworaran said PenCom planned to introduce three healthcare packages after the pilot to provide sustainable medical support for retirees across income categories.
She said the first package would provide free healthcare services for low-income retirees, while the second would offer a co-payment arrangement for retirees needing additional support.
“The third package will allow higher-income retirees to pay for enhanced healthcare coverage at competitive premium rates,” she said.
Oloworaran said improving retirees’ welfare remained one of PenCom’s top priorities as the commission continued exploring initiatives to enhance pensioners’ wellbeing and financial security.
“We continue to explore initiatives that will improve retirees’ wellbeing and ensure Nigerians retire with peace of mind,” she said.
The Borno Government has released N1,649,048,000 outstanding scholarship obligations to students for payment of tuition and accommodation fees, welfare packages and international educational commitments.
Executive Secretary of the State Scholarships Board, Dr.
Bala Isa, announced the approval at a news conference on Tuesday in Maiduguri.He said that the intervention was a reflection of the Gov.
Babagana Zulum administration’s unwavering commitment to education as a tool for rebuilding the state and empowering its youths.According to him, the funds will cover the outstanding 2024/2025 scholarship awards for students in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
“The package includes tuition and accommodation fees for 272 medical students in Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare and tuition payments for 34 MBBS students at Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri.
“Part of the package is also fees for 60 students studying at the Nigerian Institute of Leather Science and Technology, Zaria.
“Additional allocations will provide six months’ allowances for nursing students under the state scholarship programme and educational support for 300 orphans of counter-insurgency volunteers.
“These also include return airfare for postgraduate and undergraduate scholars studying in India, Malaysia and China,’’ he said.
Isa described the beneficiaries as future doctors, engineers, scientists and professionals whose expertise would contribute to the state’s long-term development.
He emphasised that the scholarship board had commenced administrative processes to ensure prompt disbursement of funds to institutions and the beneficiaries.
The executive secretary commended Zulum for prioritising education in spite of prevailing challenges.
He noted that sustained investments in scholarships and skills development remained central to the administration’s vision of building a prosperous, peaceful and educated state.
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