By Joy Yesufu
The Senate has called on the Federal Government to urgently review and increase the salaries and welfare packages of members of the Nigerian Armed Forces in line with current economic realities.
This followed a motion moved on Tuesday by the former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), titled “Urgent Need to Increase the Minimum Wage and Improve Conditions of Service for Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and Other Security Agencies.”
Ndume, who chairs the Senate Committee on the Army, said Nigeria’s soldiers and security operatives deserve fair compensation given the enormous risks they face in defending the nation against terrorism and other threats.
He lamented that many junior personnel currently earn between ₦50,000 and ₦60,000 monthly — an amount he described as “grossly inadequate” amid high inflation and rising living costs.
“The pay level in Nigeria does not reflect the magnitude of sacrifice made by our troops who daily risk their lives under extreme and hazardous conditions,” Ndume said.
Citing examples from other African countries, the senator noted that a private soldier in Ghana earns about ₦180,000 monthly, while counterparts in South Africa and Egypt receive between ₦230,000 and ₦280,000.
He also reminded the Senate that the last salary review for the Armed Forces was carried out in 2008, stressing that the failure to improve welfare has negatively affected morale, recruitment, and retention.
The Senate in the motion, urged the Federal Government, through the Ministries of Defence and Finance, the Budget and National Planning Ministry, and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, to conduct an upward review of pay and allowances for military personnel.
It also mandated its Committees on Defence, Army, Navy, and Air Force to liaise with relevant agencies to establish a realistic and competitive remuneration benchmark aligned with international standards.
Ndume maintained that improving soldiers’ welfare is both a moral obligation and a strategic necessity to strengthen national security.
He further appealed for increased recruitment across security agencies and adequate provision of equipment for troops, noting that the nation’s security challenges require both manpower expansion and motivation.
