Ali Ndume, the former Senate Leader, has praised President Bola Tinubu for authorizing pay raises for approximately 250,000 Nigerian Armed Forces personnel. This decision is expected to significantly improve the spirits of the troops involved in security operations. Starting next month, military staff will receive wage increases ranging from 30 to 80 percent, raising the total annual military wage bill from N660 billion to N924 billion.
Under the new structure, generals and other high-ranking officers will see a 30 percent boost. Colonels down to warrant officers will receive 50 percent, and lower-ranked personnel from private to staff sergeant will receive 80 percent. Ndume, speaking in Abuja, noted that this initiative aligns with the President’s previous expansion of military divisions from eight to 12, suggesting a deliberate strategy to combat terrorism.
While Ndume lauded the President for being responsive to legitimate concerns, he emphasized that salary increases alone are insufficient to defeat insurgency. He urged the administration to prioritize the rapid delivery of weapons, ammunition, and necessary technology. To streamline operations and bypass bureaucratic bottlenecks between the Ministries of Defense and Finance, Ndume suggested that the military’s annual budget be placed on First Line Charge, enabling direct statutory transfers from the Federation Account.
