The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has announced that the Federal Government has doubled the minimum monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers from about ₦49,000 to ₦100,000 as part of efforts to improve the welfare of military personnel.
He also dismissed claims that troops are poorly fed, insisting that their welfare has received greater attention in recent years.
Musa disclosed this during an interview with News Central, where he said the salary adjustment was introduced after President Bola Tinubu’s administration came into office.
“Then a soldier was receiving about 49,000 monthly. Now, that has been doubled. No soldier is receiving less than 100,000 now,” the minister said.
He noted that beyond the salary increase, the government has continued to work on improving the morale and welfare of troops serving across different parts of the country.
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Responding to reports suggesting soldiers do not receive adequate meals, Musa said such claims do not reflect the general situation within the military.
“You’ve never had any soldier complaining that they have abandoned salaries or allowances. Sometimes you see somebody say maybe the food is not good. We find out what’s really going on. Sometimes, because of where they are deployed, even getting food is a bit difficult. So we have to find a way to make sure that they’re well fed. But I think averagely, it is not bad,” he said.
The minister added that the Federal Government remains committed to strengthening the welfare package for members of the Armed Forces, noting that President Tinubu is also exploring additional measures to further improve their conditions of service.