Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the approval of a 30 to 80 per cent salary increase for the country’s armed forces.
In a statement signed by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Defence, on Wednesday, Musa described the decision as a decisive boost to troop morale across all military operational theatres.
The new salary structure, set to take effect on 1 September 2026, will benefit approximately 250,000 military personnel across the country.
Impact on military ranks
Under the approved review, the annual personnel cost for the armed forces will rise from ₦660bn to ₦924bn ($582m).
The package is structured to prioritize lower-ranking frontline troops:
- Private to Staff Sergeant: 80 per cent increase
- Warrant Officer to Colonel: 50 per cent increase
- Brigadier-General to General: 30 per cent increase
General Musa noted that the wage review demonstrates concrete support for personnel engaged in counter-insurgency, anti-banditry, and anti-kidnapping operations nationwide.
He urged officers and soldiers to respond to the enhanced conditions of service with heightened discipline, renewed vigour, and increased operational effectiveness to restore security across the country.
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