President Bola Tinubu has approved salary increases of 30 to 80 percent for Nigeria’s armed forces personnel.
The new armed forces salary increase will benefit about 250,000 staff and will take effect on September 1, 2026, according to a statement issued Tuesday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Onanuga noted that the administration tiered the pay scales inversely to rank, awarding the highest percentage increases to the most junior personnel.
According to the new structure, officers over the level of colonel, including Brigadier-Generals, Major-Generals, Lieutenant Generals, and Generals, will earn a 30% salary boost.
Personnel from colonel to warrant officer will gain a 50% boost, while those from private to staff sergeant will receive an 80% increase.
The pay package will raise the armed forces’ annual payroll cost from N660 billion to N924 billion, adding N264 billion to the budget.
The President linked the wage increase directly to the sacrifices that personnel make fighting banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism across the country.
He said, “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 troop welfare and military modernisation would remain a standing priority of his administration.
“Our administration will continue to prioritise troop welfare and modernise the armed forces by providing the weapons and technological tools needed to discharge their duties,” he said.
Tinubu tied the salary increase to his broader philosophy on national security saying, “Our administration believes that no nation can achieve greatness without security. We therefore remain resolute in mobilising all military and law enforcement assets to eliminate security threats and protect the lives and property of all Nigerians,” he said.
Backstory…
The Armed Forces salary raise comes barely two weeks after president Bola Tinubu approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to strengthen the country’s security architecture.
The Presidency stated that the decision aims to boost the Army’s operational capacity and help forces adapt to evolving security challenges across Nigeria.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the development in a statement.
Onanuga said the approval “underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.”
Read Also: Tinubu Approves Nigerian Army Expansion to 12 Divisions
