President Bola Tinubu has approved a significant salary increase for military personnel, effective September 1, 2026. The new pay structure will see officers above the rank of colonel receive a 30 per cent increase, personnel from colonel down to warrant officer receive a 50 per cent increase, and Private to Staff Sergeant receive an 80 per cent increase.
The approved salary increase is expected to raise the yearly salary bill for the country’s armed forces personnel from N660 billion to N924 billion. This follows the earlier announcement by the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, that the minimum monthly salary for soldiers had been raised from N49,000 to N100,000, as part of broader welfare reforms aimed at improving troops’ morale.
The Federal Government had earmarked N3.154 trillion for the Ministry of Defence in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, with N2.392 trillion set aside for personnel costs, reflecting the manpower-heavy nature of Nigeria’s defence architecture. Veterans have been demanding the immediate implementation of the approved N250,000 minimum salary for serving military personnel, accusing authorities of delaying the execution of a law passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Tinubu in November 2025.