President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a sweeping salary overhaul for personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, granting pay increases ranging between 30 per cent and 80 per cent across service cadres.
The new remuneration structure, announced in an official statement on Tuesday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, takes effect on September 1, 2026, and will directly benefit approximately 250,000 military personnel across the country.
Under the graduated pay model, the highest percentage increases target junior personnel on the frontlines. Troops from the rank of Private to Staff Sergeant will receive an 80 per cent base salary increment, pushing the entry-level monthly basic earnings for a Private from ₦100,000 to ₦180,000.
Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and field officers, ranging from Warrant Officer up to Colonel, will see a 50 per cent salary bump, bringing a Colonel’s gross monthly take-home to nearly ₦1.4 million.
Senior officers above the rank of Colonel, including Brigadier-Generals, Major-Generals, Lieutenant-Generals, and full Generals, will receive a 30 per cent upward adjustment. With the approved adjustment, estimated basic monthly earnings for a Major-General increase from roughly ₦1.86 million to approximately ₦2.42 million.
The nationwide implementation will expand the Federal Government’s annual military wage bill from ₦660 billion to ₦924 billion, representing a ₦264 billion annual commitment to military personnel expenditures.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to troop welfare and national defense, President Tinubu praised servicemen for their sacrifices in confronting terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping across the nation. He emphasized that boosting military compensation remains a fundamental prerequisite for national security and economic stability.
”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,” President Tinubu stated. “Our administration will continue to prioritize troop welfare and modernize the armed forces by providing the weapons and technological tools needed to discharge their duties. No nation can achieve greatness without security, and we remain resolute in mobilizing all military and law enforcement assets to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.”
