Di federal government don double di minimum monthly salary of soldiers from N49,000 to N100,000, but di question wey dey worry pipo na wetin dis money fit do for di person wey dey defend di kontri.
Di April report of di National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) show say di cost of healthy diet for one adult na N1,589 per day. For dis rate, soldier wey dey earn N100,000 monthly fit afford nutritious diet for only about 63 meals, wey be like 21 days of three square meals daily.
Di NBS Statistics Office and researcher wey involve for di report tell Daily Trust say di CoHD na for healthy diet for one point in time. E fit be breakfast, lunch or dinner. “E no apply to all di meals wey dem consume for one day. Diet here refer to meal for dat particular moment, whether morning, afternoon or evening,” dem talk.
Civil society organisations wey yarn with Daily Trust ask whether wetin remain of di new pay, after feeding, go fit support soldier and im family for economy where cost of living dey climb. Di Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, during interview with News Central, don disclose say President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration increase di minimum monthly salary of soldiers from N49,000 to N100,000. “When dem start, soldier dey collect N49,000 monthly. We try so hard, now he dey collect N100,000,” di minister yarn. E describe di increase as part of broader welfare reforms wey aim to improve troops morale. But e admit say Nigeria defence funding still no reach.
N1,380 to dollar. For decades, concerns over poor salaries, inadequate accommodation, delayed benefits and rising living costs don dominate discussions around military welfare. Musa dismiss claims wey dey circulate for social media say soldiers dey poorly fed, e insist say viral video involving soldier wey dem identify as Justice Crack don dey manipulated. “Di soldier food dey okay. There was meat; there was all this. But e tell dem to pull out those things and make am look as if those things no dey there,” e talk. Di minister maintain say government go continue to invest for personnel welfare and operational capacity to strengthen di Armed Forces.
N100,000 salary for 21 days of healthy feeding: Di latest NBS Cost of a Healthy Diet Report highlight di pressure wey rising food prices dey place on low-income earners, including military personnel. For N1,589 daily, to maintain healthy diet three times – breakfast, lunch and dinner – cost about N4,767 daily and around N143,010 monthly for adult. Based on three square meals daily, soldier wey dey earn N100,000 fit afford only about 63 meals, enough for approximately 21 days, before di salary finish. Di challenge become even greater for soldiers wey get spouse or children, as di NBS estimate cover only one adult and exclude other household expenses.
Di report attribute di latest increase to rising prices across nearly every food group except starchy staples. E note say animal-source foods remain di most expensive component of healthy diet, wey account for 40 per cent of total cost despite wey e contribute only 13 per cent of calorie requirements. State-level data further illustrate di disparity. Ekiti record di highest daily healthy diet cost at N2,036, followed by Imo (N2,018) and Bayelsa (N1,909), while Adamawa get di lowest at N1,143, ahead of Federal Capital Territory (N1,278) and Akwa Ibom (N1,314). Regionally, di South-East record di highest average daily cost at N1,830, followed by South-West (N1,753), while North-East record di lowest at N1,415. According to di NBS, di CoHD measure di minimum amount wey dem need to meet recommended daily nutritional needs using locally available foods and serve as key benchmark for assessing food affordability and household welfare.
Soldiers salary structure, allowances: Di Manual for Financial Administration of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (MAFA), wey dem sign for 2017, state say “personnel remuneration dey governed by di Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS) and other financial guidelines, including directives wey di National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), di Public Service Rules and di Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service issue.” According to di manual, CONAFSS comprise not only di basic salary but also range of consolidated mandatory allowances wey di President as Commander-in-Chief of di Armed Forces approve. These include rent subsidy, utility allowance, leave grant, uniform maintenance allowance, hazard allowance, house upkeep allowance, general services allowance, entertainment allowance, transport allowance, non-practising allowance, hardlying allowance, torchlight allowance, retention incentive allowance, qualifying pay allowance, furniture allowance, command expenses allowance and meal subsidy. E also provide personal servant allowance for officers. Di manual state say di salary structure dey subject to periodic review by di National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, although e note say di current CONAFSS wey reflect for di document take effect from July 1, 2010.
Beyond di consolidated package, di MAFA provide for several incidental allowances, wey dey payable only under specified conditions. For instance, personnel wey dem post from one duty station to another dey entitled to Packing on Posting Allowance, equivalent to five per cent of annual CONAFSS on Step Five of their rank, provided official transport no dey supply. Di allowance dey payable only once for year and no apply to personnel wey dem post within same location or those wey dey proceed on courses. Similarly, retiring or discharged personnel dey entitled to Terminal Packing Allowance wey amount to 10 per cent of annual CONAFSS on Step Five to facilitate their exit from military barracks. Di manual also provide for Lodging Allowance, equivalent to 40 per cent of CONAFSS, for personnel wey dem no provide accommodation for military barracks or government quarters. Di allowance dey payable with monthly emoluments and dem dey calculate am using Step Five of each rank. E apply to personnel at their permanent duty station where official accommodation no dey available or when dem dey away on temporary duty without government accommodation.
Many personnel wey dey reside for military barracks dey pay little or nothing for accommodation, while soldiers wey dem deploy for operational missions dey receive meals at government expense, wey dey reduce some of their direct living costs. In addition, personnel wey dem deploy for specialised operations dey receive extra allowances. Under di manual, members of di Amphibious Force wey don complete di prescribed training and dey actively engage for amphibious duties dey receive N50,000 monthly, while divers dey entitled to N25,000 monthly. Certified divers for di Nigerian Navy dey receive N50,000 every month. Similarly, personnel wey dem train and actively deploy for special warfare operations dey receive Special Warfare Allowance of N50,000 monthly, while Special Boat Service operatives of di Nigerian Navy dey entitled to 25 per cent of their monthly salary when dem deploy for special operations. Di manual further provide Counter-Terrorism/Counter-Insurgency (CT/COIN) Allowance of N50,000 per month for personnel wey don undergo specialised CT/COIN training and dey actively deploy for such operations. Di document state say payments for these operational allowances dey subject to approval by di appropriate service authorities and fit continue for personnel wey dey temporarily incapacitated or hospitalised for less than six months. However, while these allowances and benefits form part of di military welfare framework, many of dem dey conditional, rank-specific or deployment-dependent, meaning say dem no dey receive uniformly by every soldier.
Nigerian soldiers pay below counterparts for Togo, Gambia, others: Di soldiers new N100,000 monthly minimum salary fall short of wetin their counterparts for several African countries dey earn. South African National Defence Force salary schedule wey MoneyToday, South African publication wey dey track salaries, publish. Di gap dey equally pronounced for East Africa. Even among Nigeria West African neighbours, soldiers generally dey earn considerably more. N195,910 monthly. Comparable entry-level salaries stand at roughly equivalent of N526,962 per month for Niger Republic, about N661,892 for Benin Republic, around N547,000 for Senegal, and approximately N803,046 monthly for Cameroon.
CSOs seek living wage for soldiers: Country Director, Accountability Lab Nigeria, Friday Odeh, tell Daily Trust say di debate no suppose focus on whether di government increase soldiers salaries but whether di new wage dey sufficient to meet di basic needs of military personnel and their families. According to am, while doubling di minimum monthly salary from N49,000 to N100,000 na positive step, di real measure of di policy suppose be im purchasing power amid rising living costs. “Di issue no be whether salaries increase, but whether dem fit meet di basic needs of di military personnel and their families wey dem expect to protect Nigeria,” Odeh talk. E suggest say salary reviews suppose dey assess against prevailing economic realities rather than di nominal figures wey di government announce. “Doubling pay dey good, but public policy suppose compare with purchasing power for ground, no numbers. If public data show say three square meals alone dey consume most of soldier monthly salary, then remuneration no don keep pace with cost of living,” e state. Odeh say di government get responsibility to ensure say members of di Armed Forces dey receive compensation wey go enable dem to live with dignity and reduce di financial pressures wey fit affect their welfare and effectiveness. E state: “Government get responsibility to ensure say all security personnel dey receive wages wey preserve their dignity, support their wellbeing, and reduce vulnerabilities wey connect with financial hardship. Beyond to announce salary increases, there suppose be evidence-based reviews of military compensation wey go reflect inflation and di actual cost of living. From CSO perspective, e dey important to measure whether public spending dey reflect practical improvements wey pipo fit feel for their lives, no just big numbers for paper as di government dey announce all di time.”
Di International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR) also urge di government to undertake comprehensive review of military remuneration, wey dey argue say di new N100,000 minimum salary fall short of wetin dem require to guarantee decent standard of living for soldiers. Di ISSJHR Chancellor, Comrade Omenazu Jackson, talk: “Di recent announcement by di Minister of Defence say di federal government don increase di monthly salary of some soldiers from about N49,000 to N100,000 na welcome development. However, di central question remain: na N100,000 a living wage for today Nigeria? According to di group, di rising costs of food, transportation, housing, healthcare, education and other essential needs don make di salary inadequate for many soldiers wey dey responsible to support their families while dem dey confront terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats. Jackson say countries wey dey place premium on national security dey adequately compensate their military personnel through competitive salaries and comprehensive welfare packages. “Countries wey take national security seriously understand say soldiers must dey adequately compensated and supported with housing, healthcare, insurance, pensions, and family benefits. Nigeria must adopt di same standard if e expect professionalism, loyalty, and high morale from im armed forces. Inadequate remuneration also increase di risk of unethical conduct, as financial pressure fit push some personnel toward unofficial sources of income. At di same time, e dey difficult to justify di enormous salaries and allowances wey many political office holders dey enjoy while soldiers dey struggle to meet basic needs,” e talk. Di organisation call on di federal government to urgently review military salaries and expand welfare packages to include decent housing, health insurance, educational support for soldiers children, life insurance, improved pensions and adequate operational equipment. “Nation wey value security must value im soldiers. To pay dem living wage no be act of charity; e dey necessary investment for national security, discipline, and patriotism. Economic justice demand say those wey dey defend Nigeria no suppose dey condemned to poverty while those wey dey govern enjoy extraordinary privileges. A secure nation begin with well-motivated and adequately remunerated security personnel,” e add.
Lead Consultant, Hadassah Nutritional Health Consult, Esther Olorunfunmi Sayo, warn say di inability of soldiers to consistently afford healthy meals fit undermine both their health and combat readiness. E say military personnel require balanced nutrition to sustain di physical and mental demands of their profession. Sayo call for military welfare reforms wey go beyond periodic salary adjustments to include nutrition-focused interventions wey fit guarantee access to balanced diets. “To address this challenge, salary increases suppose dey complemented with nutrition-focused interventions. These fit include subsidised healthy meals for military barracks, strengthened ration systems wey meet nutritional standards, periodic nutrition education, and regular reviews of soldiers welfare packages to reflect inflation and di actual cost of living,” e talk. E add say to ensure soldiers get reliable access to nutritious food suppose dey viewed as investment for national security rather than merely welfare programme. “To ensure say soldiers get reliable access to nutritious food no be only welfare issue, but also investment for national security, as well-nourished military dey better equipped to perform im duties effectively,” Sayo talk.
