Ndume Compares Troops’ Wage To Neighbour Nations, Advocates Better Pay

Former Senate Leader and lawmaker representing  Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has tasked the newly installed Chief of Defence Staff, Lt-General Olufemi Oluyede and the  Service Chiefs to push for better remuneration for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces to boost their motivation.

According to The Nation, Ndume advised in a statement in Abuja following the decoration of the new service chiefs with their new ranks by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

General Oluyede and three other service chiefs were screened and confirmed for appointment by the Senate on Wednesday.

Ndume said, “I have identified four pillars that would make our military formidable at all times and keep security threats at bay.

“This is what I have tagged as TEAM. The first is Training, second is Equipment, Ammunition and Motivations in that order.”

“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 added.

Ndume further made a comparison with the remuneration of troops serving in the following African countries like Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, among others, stressing that an improvement in the compensation package for military personnel will strengthen their morale in discharging their duty.

Ndume said: “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 (when converted).

“In Egypt, junior enlisted officers earn the equivalent of ₦230,000–₦280,000 monthly, and in Kenya, a private earns about ₦200,000, excluding operational allowances.

“In Nigeria, the average private soldier earns significantly less despite higher deployment frequency and operational demands.

“The current remuneration and minimum entry-level wage for many personnel across these services have been outpaced by rising living costs, with knock-on effects on morale, recruitment, retention, and operational effectiveness, particularly for personnel deployed in high-risk theatres and remote locations.”