FG Moves to Raise Salaries of Tinubu, Senators, and Top Officials

4 Min Read

The Federal Government is reviewing a proposal to increase the salaries of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, ministers, senators, and other political office holders, following recommendations by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu announced the initiative during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, describing the current pay structure as outdated and inadequate. He noted that salaries have remained unchanged since 2008, despite the growing responsibilities of top office holders and Nigeria’s evolving economic challenges.

READ MORE: Delta Civil Service Uncovers Widespread Age Falsification, Certificate Forgery – Lady Amioku

Shehu revealed that the President currently earns N1.5 million monthly, while ministers receive less than N1 million. He argued that these amounts are insufficient for such high-level positions, particularly when compared with the earnings of some agency heads and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“You cannot pay the President of Nigeria N1.5m monthly with a population of over 200 million people and expect it to be taken seriously,” he said. “You pay either a CBN governor or the DG ten times more than you pay the President. That is just not right. Or you pay him [the head of an agency] twenty times higher than the Attorney-General of the Federation. That is absolutely not right.”

However, the proposal has faced pushback from organised labour. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) condemned the plan, warning that increasing politicians’ pay while ordinary Nigerians struggle with inflation and poverty would be unfair.

A senior NLC official highlighted that hidden allowances already inflate top officials’ earnings. “The President’s salary may be N1.5m, but with allowances, the package can exceed N100m. If government can publish salaries, it should also publish allowances,” he said.

Labour also criticised the stark income disparity between public office holders and citizens. While lawmakers reportedly earn up to N30 million monthly, the national minimum wage is N70,000, and university professors earn less than N400,000. The union warned that this growing gap threatens the middle class and exacerbates poverty.

“Good leadership requires sensitivity to the people’s plight. If politicians continue to prioritise themselves over the nation, this country risks imploding. And if that happens, even the elite will not have a country to fall back on,” the source added.

Shehu clarified that RMAFC is constitutionally responsible for determining salaries for political, judicial, and legislative office holders—not the minimum wage for civil servants. He emphasised that realistic remuneration is necessary to promote accountability and curb corruption.

In addition to the salary review, Shehu revealed that RMAFC has begun revising Nigeria’s revenue allocation formula, unchanged since 1992. Currently, the Federal Government receives 52.68%, states 26.72%, and local governments 20.60%, with 4.18% reserved for special funds. He explained that constitutional amendments have increased state responsibilities, making a review critical for equity and sustainability.

He added that previous efforts under former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari stalled but promised that the ongoing review would be “inclusive, data-driven, and transparent.”

Nigerian Film Corporation Dismisses Death Rumours About Ali Nuhu

The Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) has reacted to viral claims circulating on social media suggesting that its Managing Director and renowned actor, Ali Nuhu, had died.

The false reports gained attention after a Facebook user, Ifeoma Chigbo, shared a video implying Nuhu’s demise while at the same time expressing doubt about the authenticity of the information. The rumours escalated further with another post alleging that the veteran actor lost his life in a car crash.

Share This Article
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *