Nigeria raises military pay by up to 80% amid insecurity

President Bola Tinubu approved salary increases of 30% to 80% for about 250,000 members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, with the biggest jump going to Private through Staff Sergeant ranks. The new structure is set to take effect on September 1, 2026, and the government cast it as a move to lift morale inside a military still under pressure from insurgency and other security threats.

The pay package gives senior officers and generals increases of about 30%, while some accounts place mid-level ranks at 50%. Presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga said the annual armed forces wage bill would rise from 660 billion to 924 billion under the revised scale. That increase turns the salary decision into a major security budget choice, not just a personnel adjustment.

The timing matters because Nigeria’s security forces are still contending with attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province. Defence Minister Christopher Musa had already said soldiers’ minimum pay had been raised to 100,000 from about 49,000, after the pay issue drew sharp controversy on social media. The latest increase suggests the government is trying to answer a broader complaint that underpaid troops cannot be expected to sustain discipline, retention and battlefield effectiveness under constant strain.

The administration has paired the wage move with other military steps. The government has approved four new Nigerian Army divisions, invested in military hardware, established additional bases and recruited 28,000 personnel. Senate committees on defence and army welcomed the decision, and former Senate President Ahmad Lawan praised the increase as a morale booster for troops.

Still, the real test is whether the higher salaries change conditions on the ground. Better pay may help keep experienced soldiers in uniform and reduce the sense of neglect that has long dogged the ranks, but battlefield performance will also depend on whether troops get functioning weapons, reliable logistics and enough support to hold territory in places such as Borno State. The government’s own package shows how closely pay, readiness and national security are now tied together.