President Bola Tinubu has approved a major salary upward review ranging between 30 and 80 per cent for Nigerian armed forces personnel, a move designed to boost morale across all ranks in the nation’s military.
The new pay structure takes effect on September 1, 2026, and will directly benefit approximately 250,000 military personnel across the country.
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The approved salary structure granted an 80 per cent pay rise to junior personnel, from Privates to Staff Sergeants.
It also increased the salaries of middle-ranking officers, from Warrant Officers to Colonels, by 50 per cent, while senior officers, including Brigadier-Generals, Major-Generals, Lieutenant-Generals and Generals, received a 30 per cent increase.
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The financial adjustment will push Nigeria’s annual wage bill for armed forces personnel from N660 billion to N924 billion, reflecting an addition of N264 billion to the nation’s annual defense payroll.
In a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to prioritizing military welfare while addressing ongoing security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.
“The men and women who help to keep us safe in our homes must be supported and appreciated in the course of their duties to our nation,” Tinubu said.
The President emphasised that national prosperity hinges on stability, noting that no country can achieve greatness without security.
He pledged that the Federal Government will continue to modernise the armed forces by supplying necessary weaponry and technological equipment, alongside mobilizing all security assets to eliminate threats to life and property.
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Urging military personnel to view the salary bump as a concrete demonstration of the nation’s deep appreciation, Tinubu expressed confidence that Nigeria will prevail against forces seeking to undermine national security.
