Military Veterans Demand Immediate Implementation of ₦250,000 Minimum Pay for Soldiers

Military veterans have called on the Federal Government to immediately implement the approved ₦250,000 minimum salary for serving members of the Armed Forces, alleging that the approved pay structure has been delayed despite receiving presidential assent.

The demand was made during a retreat attended by more than 70 retired military personnel at the Armed Forces Headquarters Command Mess 1 in Abuja on Monday.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, who was expected to attend the meeting, was represented by five senior military officers due to an official engagement at the Presidential Villa.

Speaking after the meeting, one of the organisers, retired Colonel Innocent Azubike, said the veterans presented documents outlining the approved salary review to the military representatives, who acknowledged the evidence and pledged to brief the CDS upon his return.

According to Azubike, the officers accepted the documents presented and assured the veterans that their report would be forwarded to the Chief of Defence Staff without delay. He added that the veterans expect a formal response within a week.

The retired officers argued that the National Assembly approved a salary review bill in October 2025 after a comparative study reportedly found that Nigerian military personnel were among the lowest-paid in Africa. They said the legislation set ₦250,000 as the minimum salary for the least-paid soldier, with funding captured in the 2026 budget.

The veterans further stated that President Bola Tinubu signed the bill into law in November 2025, with provisions for three months’ arrears from the date of assent.

However, they expressed concern that the approved salary structure has yet to be implemented. They also alleged that recent comments by military authorities and officials suggested there was no record of the approved increase.

Azubike maintained that the ₦100,000 salary currently referenced by some government officials resulted from the 2024 national minimum wage adjustment and is separate from the military salary review approved in 2025.

The veterans warned that they remain committed to staging a peaceful protest at the Federal Ministry of Finance if the implementation continues to be delayed, saying they want clarity on the status of the approved funds and the salary review.

They urged the Federal Government to honour its commitments and implement the approved salary structure for serving military personnel.