President Bola Tinubu’s refusal to sign a bill extending service age for parliamentary staff has led to the retirement of Clerk to the National Assembly, Magaji Tambawal, along with 30 senior officials. Tambawal, who began his pre-retirement leave on November 1, 2024, will fully retire in February 2025 at age 60, in accordance with the current retirement law.
A long-standing proposal to increase the retirement age for parliamentary staff to 65 years, or 40 years of service, was once again declined. Currently, staff must retire at 60 or after 35 years of service. The bill was repeatedly proposed in previous assemblies but failed each time, most recently receiving Senate approval in March 2024 before being forwarded to the president.
Those retiring alongside Tambawal include senior staff from the Senate, House of Representatives, and National Assembly Service Commission. Due to many employees being hired during the National Assembly’s formation in 1991-1992, a wave of retirements is expected this year and next.
An anonymous source voiced concerns over the potential impact on legislative memory and continuity. The National Assembly relies heavily on experienced staff, which may present challenges if the current workforce is unable to adequately fill the void left by retirees.
