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The short answer
Directors in the federal civil service sit on CONPSS grade levels 16 and 17, the top of the career ladder below permanent secretary. Their pay was raised with the rest of CONPSS in the consequential adjustment effective 29 July 2024; the level-by-level figures are in the NSIWC circular, which we could not open, so no naira figure appears here. Retirement for most civil servants comes at 60 years of age or 35 years of service, whichever is first.
Where directors sit on the ladder
In the federal civil service, the management grades are GL 15 (deputy director) and GL 16 and 17 (director). Above them is the permanent secretary, whose post is an appointment, commonly made from among serving directors, rather than a grade level on CONPSS. Many directors spend their final years in service at GL 16 or 17, so the pay at these levels, and the pension that follows, matter a great deal for retirement planning.
- GL 15
- Deputy director, often head of a division.
- GL 16
- Director, often head of a department.
- GL 17
- Director at the top grade of the career service; the pool from which permanent secretaries are commonly drawn.
What the pay is made of
A director's monthly pay has the same parts as other CONPSS officers', at a higher level:
- Consolidated salary for the grade level and step, from the CONPSS table.
- Allowances paid separately under circulars, which at management level may include items such as a responsibility or leave allowance, and in some agencies further special allowances.
- Benefits in kind, such as official vehicles, where the post carries them.
Agencies with their own salary structures, such as revenue, regulatory and some parastatal bodies, pay their directors on those structures rather than CONPSS. So two people called 'director' in the public sector can earn very different amounts. Always check which structure the post is on.
The 2024 adjustment and the figures
The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 raised the minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000 a month from 29 July 2024. After a memorandum of understanding with labour on 20 September 2024, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission announced on 24 September 2024 that CONPSS would be reviewed upwards from 29 July 2024. That review covered every level, including GL 16 and 17.
Retirement rules that apply
The general rule in the federal public service is retirement at 60 years of age or after 35 years of pensionable service, whichever comes first. That rule is referred to in the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act 2022, which sets a different rule for teachers: 65 years of age or 40 years of service, whichever is earlier, and states that the 60-or-35 rule does not apply to them.
Some cadres and agencies have their own retirement rules under separate laws, and policies on how long an officer may remain at director level have been changed by government circulars over the years. Confirm the rule for your post with your establishment unit before planning around a retirement date.
Pension after a director's career
Officers who joined after the Contributory Pension Scheme began are paid from their Retirement Savings Account (RSA), not from a fixed formula based on final salary. During service, at least 18% of monthly emoluments goes in: 10% from the employer and 8% from the employee, under PenCom's rules. Because a director's last years usually carry the highest pay, those contributions weigh heavily in the final RSA balance.
Worked example (illustrative)
Suppose a director's monthly pensionable emoluments are ₦1,000,000. This is an example, not a CONPSS figure. Monthly contributions are 8% (₦80,000) from the officer and 10% (₦100,000) from the employer, ₦180,000 in total, or ₦2,160,000 a year before investment returns. Over the last five years of service that is ₦10,800,000 in contributions. How that becomes a monthly pension is covered in how a retired civil servant's pension is calculated and how the RSA system works.
What to check before your last years in service
- Your exact retirement date under the 60-or-35 rule, or any special rule for your cadre.
- That your grade level, step and promotions are correctly recorded on IPPIS and with your PFA.
- That your RSA shows every month's employer and employee contribution.
- Your record of service and documents needed for retirement benefits, gathered at least a year ahead.
- Any arrears due from the 2024 adjustment, before you leave service.
Common mistakes in the final years
Directors approaching retirement often discover problems that are hard to fix once they have left service. The most common are a date of birth recorded differently in different files, a first appointment date that does not match the letter, missing months of pension contributions, and promotions that were approved but never reflected on the payroll. Each can change the retirement date, the RSA balance or the arrears due. Begin a file review at least two years before the expected date: compare your record of service, your IPPIS data and your PFA statement, and raise any mismatch in writing with the establishment unit.
Where Pryme fits
Lump sums at retirement can be large and easy to spread too thin. A Naira Savings Box can hold part of a lump sum to a set date, with the rate shown in the app, and your Personal Assistant can prepare reminders for bills and transfers that you approve.
Questions people ask
How much is GL 17 salary in Nigeria?
The figure is in the current CONPSS circular from the NSIWC, adjusted from 29 July 2024. We could not open the circular, so ask your salary unit for the figure for your step.
What is the difference between GL 16 and GL 17?
Both are director grades on CONPSS. GL 17 is the top grade of the career civil service and carries higher pay; permanent secretaries are commonly appointed from it.
At what age do directors retire in the federal civil service?
The general rule is 60 years of age or 35 years of pensionable service, whichever is first. Teachers retire at 65 or 40 years under a 2022 Act, and some cadres have their own rules.
Is a permanent secretary on GL 17?
No. Permanent secretary is an appointment above the GL 17 director grade, not a CONPSS grade level.
Sources
- TheCable: FG revises consolidated salary structure for minimum wage implementation (24 Sep 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- PaySpace: Nigeria National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 · accessed Oct 2026
- LawCare Nigeria: Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act 2022 · accessed Oct 2026
- PenCom: Frequently Asked Questions, 2023 edition · accessed Oct 2026
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