Nigerian Armed Forces Salary Review: Generals to Earn N29.75m Annual Pensionable Pay
- The Federal Government approved a new pensionable salary structure for Nigerian Armed Forces personnel, effective September 1, 2026
- The circular was issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and signed off following President Tinubu's approval
- The new structure covers all military ranks from Generals down to Privates, with figures set strictly for pension calculation purposes
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The Federal Government has approved a new pensionable salary structure for Nigerian Armed Forces personnel, with Generals, Admirals and Air Chief Marshals set to receive the highest annual figure of N29,745,561 under the revised scale.
The approval was communicated through a circular dated September 3, 2026, issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and signed by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Major General Junaidu S. Bindawa (retd.).
Source: Twitter
Accordign to PUNCH, the document takes effect from September 1, 2026, and was addressed to senior government officials including the Chief of Staff to the President, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of Defence, and the Accountant-General of the Federation, among others.
The commission said the review was carried out in line with Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires pension figures to be reviewed every five years or alongside any revision of public servant salaries, whichever comes first. The changes follow the personal approval of President Bola Tinubu in his role as Commander-in-Chief.
Breakdown of the new pension pay scale
At the top of the structure, Generals, Admirals and Air Chief Marshals will have annual pensionable salaries ranging from N21,898,443 to N29,745,561. Lieutenant Generals, Vice Admirals and Air Marshals will fall between N16,995,355 and N25,908,856, while Major Generals, Rear Admirals and Air Vice Marshals will receive between N14,977,173 and N23,899,084.
Brigadier Generals, Commodores and Air Commodores are placed between N13,863,954 and N16,387,106. Colonels, Captains and Group Captains will earn between N8,313,134 and N9,489,244, while Lieutenant Colonels, Commanders and Wing Commanders fall within the N7,552,046 to N8,739,205 range.
Further down the scale, Majors, Lieutenant Commanders and Squadron Leaders will receive between N5,987,815 and N7,009,293 annually for pension purposes. Captains, Lieutenants and Flight Lieutenants sit within the N5,277,111 to N6,415,885 bracket, and Second Lieutenants, Midshipmen and Pilot Officers will have figures ranging from N4,924,943 to N5,587,014.
At the non-commissioned level, Warrant Officers across the three services will earn between N4,525,780 and N5,173,449. Corporals and Able Seamen are placed between N2,477,709 and N2,734,367, while Privates, Ordinary Seamen and Aircraftmen, at the base of the structure, will have annual pensionable salaries ranging from N2,281,185 to N2,491,623.
Figures apply only to pension calculations
The commission was explicit that the approved amounts are not equivalent to the monthly take-home pay of serving military personnel. The circular reads: "This approval takes effect from 1st September 2026," and directed that all enquiries about its implementation be routed to the commission.
The pension review follows a separate, broader salary increase for armed forces personnel that was also recently approved by the Federal Government, which reportedly gave the largest percentage adjustments to junior-ranking officers. The pension revision is relevant primarily to retired military personnel, whose benefits are tied to approved pensionable emoluments.
Nigerian Army salaries from private to major general
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.
Source: Legit.ng
