Defence Minister Christopher Musa Announces New Salary of Nigeria Soldiers in 2026
- Nigerian soldiers have received a major boost in welfare as their minimum monthly salary has been raised to N100,000
- Defence Minister Christopher Musa confirmed the increase, noting that while pay has improved, the military still faces funding challenges
- He also called for tougher laws against kidnappers, including the introduction of the death penalty, to curb rising abductions
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has confirmed that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000. He revealed this during an interview on News Central on Wednesday, ahead of its broadcast on the NC Exclusive programme on Friday.
Musa explained that the Federal Government recently reviewed the welfare of military personnel, leading to the pay rise. He noted: “When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000.”
Source: Getty Images
Defence budget still “not enough”
According to PUNCH, despite the improvement in salaries, Musa stressed that the military remains underfunded. Responding to a question on whether the current defence budget was adequate, he said: “It’s not enough.”
The former Chief of Defence Staff highlighted that while personnel welfare has improved, more resources are needed to strengthen Nigeria’s defence capabilities.
Call for death penalty for kidnappers
Musa also advocated for tougher laws against kidnappers, including the introduction of the death penalty. He argued that harsher punishments would help deter abductions, saying: “I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage.”
Oyo pupils’ abduction
Commenting on the recent abduction of pupils in Oyo State, Musa described the incident as “unfortunate.” He alleged that the kidnappers were seeking leverage to secure the release of detained commanders.
“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander,” he said.
According to him, the abductors threatened to kill the children if security forces intensified rescue operations: “They are now threatening that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids.”
Military feeding allegations
Musa dismissed claims of poor feeding in the military, insisting that such reports were misleading. Referring to an incident involving a military officer identified as Justice Crack, he said the officer deliberately created a false impression about soldiers’ meals.
“The soldier’s food was okay. There was meat; there was all this. But he told them to pull out those things and make it look as if those things were not there,” Musa explained.
Source: Getty Images
Full list of Nigerian army salaries
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Army plays a vital role in safeguarding the nation, maintaining peace, and defending its sovereignty. Each rank carries specific responsibilities, and salaries reflect the level of duty and leadership expected.
Below is a simple breakdown of the estimated monthly salaries of Nigerian Army officers, from Private to Major General, according to a report by Statisense, a Nigerian digital analytics firm.
Source: Legit.ng
