Retired Soldiers Demand ₦250,000 Military Minimum Wage

A coalition of retired military personnel has called on the Federal Government to immediately implement the approved ₦250,000 minimum wage for serving soldiers, accusing authorities of delaying the execution of a salary review already approved by law.

The demand was made during an emergency veterans’ retreat attended by more than 70 retired service members at the Armed Forces Headquarters Command Mess 1 in Abuja on Monday.

According to the veterans, the National Assembly approved the military pay review in October 2025 after a comparative study revealed that Nigerian soldiers were among the lowest-paid in Africa. The lawmakers fixed ₦250,000 as the minimum monthly salary for the lowest-ranking soldier and included the necessary funding in the 2026 budget.

They said President Bola Tinubu signed the bill into law in November 2025, approving its implementation with three months of backdated arrears. However, despite earlier assurances from the Ministry of Defence and the Service Chiefs, the veterans claim the approved salary structure has yet to be implemented.

The group also dismissed recent claims by the Minister of Defence that the military minimum wage had been increased to ₦100,000, insisting that the figure refers only to the national minimum wage introduced in 2024 and is unrelated to the military salary review approved in 2025.

Speaking at the retreat, retired Colonel Innocent Azubike said the salary increase followed a thorough review by the National Assembly, which found Nigeria’s military pay to be significantly lower than that of several African countries.

The veterans have given the Defence Headquarters one week to provide a clear timeline for implementing the approved salary structure. They warned that if no satisfactory response is received, they will stage a peaceful protest at the Federal Ministry of Finance to demand the immediate release of the funds and draw the President’s attention to the issue.