More than 70 retired military officers gathered in Abuja on Monday to demand that the Federal Government immediately honour its commitment to pay serving soldiers a minimum wage of N250,000. The veterans accused the authorities of backtracking on a law that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally signed in November 2025.
Veterans Present Evidence to Senior Officers
The demand was made during a retreat held at the Armed Forces Headquarters Command Mess 1 in Abuja on July 13, 2026. The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Olufemi Oluyede, was absent as he attended a session at the Presidential Villa and was represented by five senior military officers. Col Innocent Azubike (retd.), one of the lead organisers, told journalists that the military representatives accepted the documentary evidence placed before them and acknowledged that the veterans' claims were factual.
According to The Punch, Azubike added that the veterans were giving the CDS about a week to respond. He outlined the legislative history of the salary reform, explaining that the National Assembly passed a bill in October 2025 to upwardly review military pay after a comparative assessment found that Nigeria's military salaries were the lowest among several African countries. "The Senate fixed N250,000 as the minimum pay for the least-paid soldier and directed that the required funds be included in the 2026 budget. That was done." President Tinubu subsequently assented to the bill in November 2025, directing that implementation carry three months of back pay from the date of signing — a development that was publicly announced and widely reported at the time.
Veterans Accuse Government of U-Turn
Azubike said the veterans were disturbed by what they described as an unexplained reversal in position by the defence establishment in July 2026. "The CDS and the Ministry of Defence made a U-turn and started posturing as if there was no such pay increment and asking us to produce documents to that effect." He took particular issue with a recent claim by the Minister of Defence that the President had raised military minimum pay from N49,000 to N100,000. Azubike clarified that the N100,000 figure resulted from the 2024 national minimum wage adjustment and had no connection to the dedicated military salary review law passed in 2025.
The veterans maintained that their planned protest outside the Federal Ministry of Finance was still active. "We are convinced that once we protest, the President will hear directly about the matter and the money will be released by fiat." Azubike noted that fundraising to support mobilisation was ongoing.
Defence Minister Announces New Salary for Soldiers
Recall that Nigerian soldiers received a major boost in welfare as their minimum monthly salary was raised to N100,000. Defence Minister Christopher Musa confirmed the increase, noting that while pay had improved, the military still faced funding challenges. He also called for tougher laws against kidnappers, including the introduction of the death penalty, to curb rising abductions.
Nigerian Army Salaries from Private to Major General
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reports that the Nigerian Army is one of the country’s most important institutions, charged with defending national security and maintaining peace. Each rank carries unique responsibilities, from the entry-level Private to the senior Major General, and salaries reflect the weight of these duties. This breakdown offers a clear look at the estimated monthly pay structure across ranks, according to Statisense.
