Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has praised President Bola Tinubu for approving a salary increase of between 30 and 80 per cent for personnel of the Armed Forces, describing the move as a landmark boost to troop welfare and operational effectiveness.


In a statement issued Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, Musa thanked the President for what he called a “historic salary review” that reflects the administration’s commitment to frontline troops.


“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has once again demonstrated unwavering leadership and empathy for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line daily to preserve the peace and territorial integrity of our nation,” Musa said.


He noted that raising the annual personnel cost from ₦660 billion to ₦924 billion shows the government’s resolve to ease financial hardship for military personnel and strengthen ongoing operations against insecurity.


“This subversion of financial hardship for our officers and soldiers will resonate across every theatre of operation from those confronting insurgency in the North-East to troops tackling banditry, oil theft and kidnapping nationwide,” he added.


The minister assured that the gesture would be met with renewed discipline, heightened operational effectiveness, and intensified efforts to restore stability across the country. He also reaffirmed the ministry’s support for Tinubu’s agenda of modernising military equipment, enhancing technological capacity, and improving welfare for personnel and their families.


The salary increase, announced Tuesday, takes effect from September 1, 2026, and will benefit about 250,000 personnel across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Under the new structure, privates to staff sergeants will receive an 80 per cent raise, warrant officers to colonels 50 per cent, while senior officers from brigadier-general to general will get 30 per cent.