- President Tinubu approved a new salary structure for the Armed Forces, with increases ranging from 30% to 80% across ranks
- The pay rise takes effect from September 1, 2026, and will cover about 250,000 military personnel across the country
- The annual salary bill for the Armed Forces is set to rise from N660 billion to N924 billion under the new arrangement
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a new salary structure for Nigeria’s Armed Forces, lifting monthly pay for a General to N3.25 million and raising a Private’s earnings to N187,200.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development in a statement. He said the new package takes effect from September 1, 2026, and covers roughly 250,000 military personnel across all ranks.
Photo Credit: @HQNigerianArmy
Source: Twitter
Daily Trust reported that pay increases under the scheme range from 30 per cent to 80 per cent, depending on rank. Senior officers above the rank of Colonel, including Brigadier-Generals, Major-Generals, Lieutenant-Generals, and Generals, will receive the lower end of the scale at 30 per cent. Lower-ranked personnel stand to gain significantly more, with some categories attracting increases of up to 80 per cent.
Impact on the Military Pay Bill
The wider financial effect of the new structure is substantial. Nigeria’s annual salary expenditure for the Armed Forces will climb from N660 billion to N924 billion once the pay adjustments take full effect, representing an increase of N264 billion per year.
The approval signals a significant shift in the federal government’s approach to military welfare, bringing pay levels more in line with the economic pressures facing service personnel amid rising living costs across the country.
New military salaries
What each rank will earn as new salaries, according to Daily Trust
|
S/N |
Rank |
New Salaries |
Old Salaries |
Amount Increased |
|
1 |
A private |
N187,200 |
N104,000 |
N83,200 |
|
2 |
A lance corporal |
N201,600 |
N112,000 |
N89,600 |
|
3 |
A corporal |
N207,000 |
N115,000 |
N92,000 |
|
4 |
A sergeant |
N225,000 |
N125,000 |
N100,000 |
|
5 |
A staff sergeant |
N270,000 |
N150,000 |
N120,000 |
|
6 |
A warrant officer |
N306,000 |
N170,000 |
N136,000 |
|
7 |
A master warrant |
N315,000 |
N210,000 |
N105,000 |
|
8 |
An army warrant |
N345,000 |
N230,000 |
N115,000 |
|
9 |
A second lieutenant |
N360,000 |
N240,000 |
N120,000 |
|
10 |
A lieutenant |
N420,000 |
N280,000 |
|
|
11 |
A captain |
N480,000 |
N320,000 |
|
|
12 |
A major |
N570,000 |
N380,000 |
|
|
13 |
A lieutenant colonel |
N630,000 |
N420,000 |
|
|
14 |
A colonel |
N870,000 |
N580,000 |
|
|
15 |
A brigadier-general |
N975,000 |
N750,000 |
N225,000 |
|
16 |
A major-general |
N1.495 million |
N1.15 million |
|
|
17 |
A lieutenant general |
N2.47 million |
N1.9 million |
N570,000 |
|
18 |
A General |
N3.25 million |
N2.5 million |
Bandits kill serving army colonel in Abuja
Legit.ng earlier reported that a serving Nigerian Army colonel was killed after gunmen attacked his home in the Kurudu District of Abuja on Monday evening, July 27, 2026.
Colonel Abdussalam Ude reportedly fought back as attackers tried to abduct him, leading to a deadly confrontation at his residence.
The Colonel’s wife, driver, and security guard all suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Source: Legit.ng