Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
Former Edo State Labour Party governorship aspirant Asha Okojie has welcomed the Federal Government’s review of salaries for personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces, while calling for clear implementation guidelines to ensure that serving personnel, retirees and eligible families receive the benefits to which they are entitled.
Okojie made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday, amid the Federal Government’s implementation of a new salary structure approved for Armed Forces personnel.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved salary increases ranging from 30 per cent to 80 per cent for military personnel, with the new rates taking effect from September 1, 2026. The State House said about 250,000 Armed Forces personnel would benefit from the adjustment.
The review has placed renewed attention on military welfare, including the relationship between improved remuneration, pensions and the broader welfare of personnel and their families.
Federal Government Approves New Military Pay Structure
Under the approved salary arrangement, officers above the rank of colonel are to receive a 30 per cent increase.
Personnel from colonel down to warrant officer are to receive a 50 per cent increase, while personnel from private to staff sergeant are to receive an 80 per cent increase.
According to the State House, the changes will increase the annual salary bill for Armed Forces personnel from about N660 billion to N924 billion.
The government said the decision formed part of its effort to improve troop welfare as the military continues to confront terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats.
The adjustment is also part of a wider government focus on improving the welfare and operational capacity of security personnel.
The Ministry of Defence has identified troop welfare, including pensions, medical care, housing, allowances and resettlement, among its stated priorities.
Okojie Calls for Implementation Clarity
While welcoming the salary review, Okojie said the announcement should be followed by straightforward information explaining how the revised remuneration applies to different categories of personnel.
She argued that serving personnel, retirees and military families should be able to understand the changes and know which government institution is responsible for addressing questions or resolving problems.
According to Okojie, clear implementation is particularly important where salary adjustments intersect with pension entitlements and other benefits.
Her position comes as the new pay structure becomes effective and government agencies responsible for salaries and pensions continue their administrative work.
Okojie also called for prompt attention to errors or delays that may arise during implementation.
Her proposal is centred on making the process easier for affected personnel and families to navigate rather than simply announcing the revised remuneration.
Proposed Welfare Compliance Office
Okojie proposed the creation of a dedicated welfare compliance office that would work with existing government agencies responsible for the welfare of uniformed personnel.
She said such an arrangement could provide a clearer channel through which individuals could raise questions about their entitlements and obtain information about how their cases are being handled.
Under the proposal, a person seeking assistance should be able to identify the appropriate office, receive a clear response and understand the next stage of the process.
Okojie also suggested confidential handling of individual cases, particularly where personal financial, employment or family information is involved.
She proposed periodic reporting on the categories of problems brought before the proposed mechanism and progress in resolving them, while ensuring that personal information is protected.
The proposal remains an advocacy position by Okojie and does not amount to an announcement that the Federal Government has established such an office.
Pension Issues Remain Important
The salary adjustment also has implications beyond the monthly pay of serving personnel.
Okojie specifically called for clarification concerning how the revised salary structure would affect pension reviews and eligible retirees and families.
This is important because changes to remuneration can raise questions about how pensionable earnings and related entitlements are treated for personnel who have retired or whose families receive benefits.
The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission is the federal body responsible for matters relating to salaries, incomes and wages, including pay reviews and salary structures. Its official information centre provides access to circulars and salary-related documents.
The administration of military pensions, however, involves the relevant institutions responsible for Armed Forces personnel and veterans.
Okojie’s call therefore focuses on ensuring that affected groups receive sufficiently clear information about how the new arrangements apply to them.
Military Welfare and National Security
The debate over Armed Forces salaries takes place against a wider security environment in which Nigerian military personnel continue to operate against armed groups and other security threats.
The Federal Government has repeatedly linked military welfare to the country’s security objectives.
When announcing the salary increases in August, the State House said the government recognised the sacrifices of members of the Armed Forces and intended the improved remuneration to form part of its wider troop-welfare programme.
The government has also identified modern equipment, improved operational capacity and better welfare as interconnected elements of its security strategy.
In March 2026, President Tinubu referred to approvals covering the upward review of Armed Forces salaries and allowances as well as equipment procurement and accommodation for military personnel.
The policy therefore goes beyond the question of individual salaries.
For the Armed Forces, welfare is connected to recruitment, retention, morale, living conditions and the broader capacity of personnel to carry out their responsibilities.
Okojie Seeks Input From Military Stakeholders
Okojie also called for Armed Forces leadership, the Military Pensions Board, veterans’ associations and military families to contribute to discussions around any proposed welfare-compliance mechanism.
The purpose, according to her position, would be to ensure that the system reflects the practical experiences of those who use it.
Veterans and military families may encounter different challenges from serving personnel, particularly where pension payments, death benefits or other entitlements are concerned.
A system that recognises those differences could potentially make it easier to identify recurring administrative problems.
However, the effectiveness of any new mechanism would depend on its legal authority, institutional responsibilities, funding and relationship with existing government agencies.
Those details would need to be established before any proposed welfare office could operate as a formal government structure.
Government’s Broader Defence Agenda
The salary review is part of a wider defence agenda under the Tinubu administration.
The Federal Government’s 2026 Budget allocated N5.41 trillion to defence and security, with the government identifying military modernisation, intelligence-led policing, joint operations, border security and technology-enabled surveillance among its priorities.
The Ministry of Defence has also listed reform and efficiency, civil-military relations, troop welfare and the development of indigenous defence-industrial capacity among its priorities.
This means the salary review is taking place alongside efforts to strengthen military equipment, infrastructure and institutional capacity.
The challenge for policymakers is therefore to ensure that improvements in remuneration form part of a broader welfare system rather than being treated as an isolated measure.
What the Salary Review Means for Personnel
For serving military personnel, the most immediate effect of the policy is the revised salary structure that became effective on September 1.
The level of increase varies according to rank, meaning personnel will not receive a uniform percentage increase.
The government’s announcement provides the broad percentage structure, while detailed implementation requires the applicable salary scales and administrative procedures to be applied across the Armed Forces.
For retirees and families, the issues are different.
Questions around pension calculations, arrears and related entitlements require clear communication from the responsible authorities.
This is the area Okojie has particularly highlighted, arguing that people affected by the review should not be left uncertain about where to obtain information or resolve discrepancies.
Why Clear Communication Matters
Salary and pension reforms can become difficult for affected individuals when information is spread across several government institutions.
Serving personnel may require information from military authorities, while retirees and beneficiaries may need to engage pension-related institutions.
Clear guidance can reduce confusion by identifying the relevant authority, required documentation and available complaint or appeal mechanisms.
It can also help government agencies identify recurring administrative problems.
Okojie’s proposal for periodic reporting would, if adopted, potentially provide policymakers with information about common implementation challenges without publicly exposing the personal details of individuals involved.
Any such reporting would need to balance transparency with privacy and applicable legal requirements.
What Happens Next
The new Armed Forces salary structure is already effective from September 1, 2026, according to the Federal Government’s announcement.
The immediate issue is therefore implementation across the military system and ensuring that eligible personnel receive the revised remuneration.
For retirees and families, further clarification may be required on the relationship between the revised pay structure and applicable pension or related benefits.
Okojie’s proposal for a dedicated welfare compliance office remains a recommendation rather than an announced government policy.
The next steps will depend on whether the relevant authorities adopt, modify or reject the proposal and what mechanisms they establish to address implementation concerns.
The Ministry of Defence and other responsible institutions will also remain central to the wider task of ensuring that improved remuneration is accompanied by adequate equipment, accommodation, healthcare, pensions and other welfare provisions.
Wider Significance
The Armed Forces salary review comes at a time when Nigeria continues to face significant security challenges.
Better remuneration cannot by itself resolve those challenges, but the government has presented personnel welfare as an important component of its broader effort to strengthen national security.
Okojie’s intervention shifts attention to another aspect of the policy: implementation.
For a salary increase to have its intended effect, affected personnel need to know what they are entitled to, when the changes take effect, how the revised figures are calculated and where they can seek assistance if problems arise.
For retirees and military families, similar clarity is required concerning pensions and related benefits.
The debate therefore extends beyond the size of the salary increase to the systems through which the policy is implemented.
As Nigeria continues to invest in its security institutions, the effectiveness of those investments will depend not only on funding but also on transparent administration, accurate payment systems and accessible welfare mechanisms.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
The State House, Abuja
Ministry of Defence, Federal Republic of Nigeria
National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission
Punch Newspapers
