Tinubu Approves 30%–80% Salary Hike for 250,000 Military Personnel

​ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu has greenlit a sweeping salary increment ranging from 30% to 80% for approximately 250,000 personnel serving across the branches of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

​According to an official release issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the new emolument structure is officially slated to take effect from September 1, 2026.

​Tiered Structure Favors Junior Ranks

​The wage review has been carefully calibrated to bridge income gaps within the military hierarchy, placing the highest percentage increases squarely on the lower cadre:

• ​Privates to Staff Sergeants: Receive the highest boost at an impressive 80% increment.
• ​Colonels down to Warrant Officers: Will experience a substantial 50% pay rise.
• ​Officers above Colonel (Brigadier-Generals, Major-Generals, Lieutenant-Generals, and Generals): Designated for a 30% salary adjustment.

​Financial analysts note that this targeted upward revision will expand the annual wage bill for the Armed Forces from N660 billion to N924 billion, signaling a major fiscal commitment to national security infrastructure.

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​A Nod to Frontline Sacrifices

​Administration insiders emphasize that the salary overhaul directly acknowledges the unrelenting pressure faced by security forces tackling multi-faceted security crises, including banditry, mass kidnapping, and insurgency plaguing various regions.

​Quoting the President, the statement highlighted the administration’s unwavering stance on security welfare:

​”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.”

​Defense circles have widely anticipated the move as a vital morale booster for frontline troops, expected to enhance operational efficiency and reinforce commitment to national sovereignty.