Veterans Demand N250,000 Minimum Pay For Soldiers, Accuse FG Of Delay

Military veterans have demanded the immediate implementation of the approved N250,000 minimum wage for soldiers, accusing the Federal Government of delaying the execution of a salary review they said was approved by the National Assembly and assented to by President Bola Tinubu.

 

The demand was made on Monday during a retreat attended by over 70 veterans at the Armed Forces Headquarters Command Mess 1, Abuja.

 

Although the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, was expected at the meeting, he was represented by five senior military officers who received the veterans’ documents and promised to brief the CDS.

 

One of the organisers, retired Col. Innocent Azubike, said the military representatives acknowledged the documents presented by the veterans and agreed to forward their concerns to the CDS.

 

“The five Generals that represented the CDS collected the papers presented by veterans and accepted that what the veterans said were facts. They said they would submit their report to the CDS immediately he comes back from the State House,” Azubike said.

 

The veterans claimed that the National Assembly in October 2025 approved an upward review of salaries for serving and retired military personnel after a comparative assessment showed that Nigeria had one of the lowest military pay structures in Africa.

 

According to Azubike, the Senate approved N250,000 as the minimum pay for the least-paid soldier and directed that funds for the implementation be captured in the 2026 budget.

 

He added that President Tinubu assented to the bill in November 2025 and approved payment of three months’ arrears from the date of signing.

 

However, the veterans alleged that military authorities later denied knowledge of the salary increase and instead referred to the N100,000 minimum wage adjustment implemented in 2024.

 

Azubike described the claim as inaccurate, saying the N100,000 adjustment was separate from the military salary review approved in 2025.

 

The retired officers said they remained prepared to embark on a peaceful protest at the Federal Ministry of Finance if the government failed to implement the approved pay structure.

 

“We are convinced that once we protest, the President will hear directly about the matter and the money will be released by fiat,” Azubike said.

 

The veterans urged the Federal Government to honour its commitment to members of the Armed Forces and immediately begin the implementation of the approved salary structure.