Tinubu Approves 80% Pay Rise for Nigerian Soldiers

President Bola Tinubu has approved a major salary increase for members of Nigeria’s armed forces with junior personnel receiving pay increases of up to 80 percent as the government moves to improve troop welfare amid persistent security challenges across the country.

The revised remuneration structure will take effect from September 1, 2026, according to a statement by presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga.

Under the new structure, personnel between the ranks of private and staff sergeant will receive an 80 percent salary increase, representing the largest adjustment under the review.

Military personnel from colonel to warrant officer will receive a 50 percent increase, while senior officers above the rank of colonel, including generals, will get a 30 percent pay rise.

The adjustment will significantly increase the Federal Government’s personnel expenditure on the armed forces.

Nigeria’s annual military wage bill is expected to rise to about N924 billion from N660 billion, representing an additional N264 billion annually.

The increase translates to a 40 percent expansion in the overall military wage bill, although individual adjustments differ according to rank.

The government said the new remuneration package is designed to strengthen the welfare and morale of personnel deployed across the country as Nigeria confronts multiple security threats.

Security forces continue to battle insurgent groups including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast, while banditry and kidnapping remain major challenges across parts of the northwest and north-central regions.

Military and other security personnel are also responding to separatist-related violence and other security threats in parts of southeastern Nigeria.

The pay increase comes as the Tinubu administration seeks to improve the capacity of the armed forces through a combination of better personnel welfare, equipment and technology.

Tinubu said his administration would continue to prioritise the welfare of military personnel while providing the resources required to confront emerging and existing security threats.

The higher wage bill will add to the Federal Government’s recurrent expenditure at a time when authorities are attempting to balance increased spending requirements with efforts to strengthen revenue mobilisation and improve fiscal sustainability.

However, improved remuneration could help address some of the welfare pressures facing military personnel, particularly lower-ranking soldiers who account for a substantial proportion of troops deployed to frontline operations.

With the new structure taking effect in September, the government will spend an additional N264 billion annually on armed forces salaries as it seeks to strengthen troop morale and improve Nigeria’s response to insecurity.