Senator Ali Ndume, has charged the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede and the service chiefs to prioritize the welfare and remuneration of troops.
The former Chief whip of the Senate said this on Thursday in Abuja shortly after President Bola Tinubu decorated the Service Chiefs with their new ranks.
He argued that low pay has continued to undermine morale and effectiveness in the Nigerian Armed Forces.
He therefore reasoned that boosting the financial well-being of soldiers was critical to sustaining the fight against insurgency, banditry, and other security threats confronting the nation.
“The annual budget of the Armed Forces and other security forces should be in the First Line Charge, and it shouldn’t be discretionary. They should be front-loaded,” he said.
Comparing Nigeria’s military pay structure with other African countries, the senator representing Borno North described the current remuneration as “nothing to write home about,” citing wide disparities.
“In Ghana, the entry-level pay for a private soldier is equivalent to about ₦180,000 per month; in South Africa, the basic pay for enlisted personnel starts at about ₦250,000 monthly. Allowances
In Egypt, junior enlisted officers earn between ₦230,000–₦280,000 monthly, and in Kenya, a private earns about ₦200,000, excluding operational But in Nigeria, the average private soldier earns significantly less despite higher deployment frequency and operational demands,” he lamented.
Ndume further urged the Tinubu administration to prioritise the Armed Forces’ budget by placing it on the First Line Charge, ensuring prompt and non-discretionary funding.
He said, “I have identified four pillars that would make our military formidable at all times and keep security threats at abeyance. This is what I have tagged as TEAM. The first is Training, second is Equipment, Ammunitions and Motivations—in that order.”
The PUNCH reports that the Senate on Wednesday screened and confirmed General Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff alongside Major General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff.
The lawmaker warned that the persistent gap in pay and welfare had “outpaced rising living costs,” leading to low morale, poor recruitment, and retention challenges across the services—especially among those deployed in high-risk zones.
