ABUJA, Nigeria (FN) — Nigerian Defence Minister Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.) has praised President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a salary increase of between 30% and 80% for members of the Armed Forces, describing the move as a significant investment in troop welfare and national security as the country continues to battle insurgency, banditry and kidnapping.
The salary review, announced by Tinubu on Tuesday and due to take effect Sept. 1, 2026, will benefit about 250,000 personnel serving in the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force. It also raises the Armed Forces’ annual personnel budget from N660 billion to N924 billion.
In a statement issued Wednesday through his Special Assistant on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, Musa thanked the president for approving what he called a historic adjustment to military pay, saying the graduated salary structure reflects the administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of service members.
He noted that increasing annual personnel spending from N660 billion to N924 billion demonstrates the government’s willingness to back its commitments with concrete action.
Under the new salary structure, personnel from the rank of private to staff sergeant will receive an 80% increase. Warrant officers through colonels will receive a 50% raise, while senior officers from brigadier general to general will receive a 30% increase.
Musa said the pay increase would help reduce financial pressures on military personnel while strengthening ongoing operations against armed groups across the country.
He pledged that the military would respond with greater professionalism and commitment.
The minister also urged military personnel to regard the salary increase as a renewed call to duty by intensifying efforts to combat insecurity, protect civilians and restore stability nationwide.
Nigeria’s armed forces remain engaged on multiple fronts, including the long-running insurgency by extremist groups in the northeast, widespread bandit attacks in the northwest, oil theft in the Niger Delta and kidnapping for ransom in several parts of the country. Security analysts have frequently argued that improving troop welfare, alongside better equipment, intelligence and training, is essential to sustaining military effectiveness.
Musa reaffirmed the Defence Ministry’s commitment to supporting Tinubu’s broader programme of modernizing military equipment, expanding technological capabilities and improving living conditions for service members and their families.
The salary review marks one of the most significant increases for Nigeria’s military in recent years. Previous administrations periodically adjusted military pay, but personnel associations have long called for broader reforms to address inflation, rising living costs and operational demands.
While the government expects the increase to improve morale, security experts say its long-term impact will depend on whether it is accompanied by continued investment in logistics, intelligence, modern equipment and accountability within the armed forces.
The pay increase comes as Nigeria seeks to strengthen its security institutions amid persistent threats that continue to affect economic activity, humanitarian conditions and regional stability in West Africa.
