President Bola Tinubu’s second military pay rise is more than a salary adjustment; it is a strategic investment in the morale, fighting spirit and operational effectiveness of the men and women at the forefront of Nigeria’s battle against insurgency and other security threats, writes Linus Aleke.
President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a second major pay rise for personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria on Tuesday is more than a routine welfare intervention; it is a strategic investment in the morale, fighting spirit and operational effectiveness of the men and women at the forefront of the nation’s battle against insurgency and other emerging security threats. The decision reinforces a long-standing military principle that a nation cannot expect its armed forces to perform optimally without adequately taking care of those entrusted with its defence.
The latest salary review, which provides an increase of between 30 and 80 per cent depending on rank, represents one of the most significant improvements in military remuneration in recent years. It comes less than four years after an earlier upward review under the current administration, which saw the monthly salary of an entry-level soldier rise from about N49,000 to N100,000 following efforts by the then Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (rtd).
