The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) have announced plans for a potential salary increment for President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Ministers, citing outdated compensation levels. According to the Commission, the current pay fails to match the weight of their roles in governing Nigeria.
Speaking at a conference in Abuja on August 18, 2025, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu highlighted the stagnation of political leaders’ salaries since 2008, despite growing national demands.
He pointed out the President’s monthly earnings of ₦1.5 million, calling it “untenable and unrealistic” for a nation of over 200 million.
“You cannot pay the President of Nigeria ₦1.5m monthly with a population of over 200 million people and expect it to be taken seriously. You pay either a CBN governor or the DG ten times more than you pay the President. Or you pay him twenty times higher than the Attorney-General of the Federation. That is absolutely not right,” Shehu added.
The proposal has sparked backlash from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which slammed it as tone-deaf amid soaring inflation and widespread poverty.
NLC described the move as “a misplaced priority,” adding that “Nigerian workers have been demanding a fair minimum wage, yet government is considering increments for politicians.”
Also, opposition parties and civil society groups showed concerns, warning that such a move could deepen inequality and further erode public confidence in the government’s priorities.
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