Salary Review Exposes Nigerian Leaders’ Lack Of Care

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has hinted at plans to review the salaries of political office holders, describing their current pay as inadequate, outdated, and unrealistic given rising national responsibilities.

At a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu disclosed that President Bola Tinubu earns ₦1.5 million monthly, while ministers receive less than ₦1 million.

“You are paying the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ₦1.5 million a month, with a population of over 200 million people. Everybody believes that it is a joke,” Shehu’s remark was intended to elicit empathy; however, it does the opposite, as it rings hollow in a country where only 2.4% of Nigerians earn above 200K monthly. 

The proposal, which has drawn sharp criticism from organised labour and accused the government of ignoring widening inequality and masking the true cost of political office through allowances and perks, is a stark reminder for anyone who has not been paying attention that Nigerian leaders do not care about the plight of the masses.

Nigerian civil servants earn ₦70,000, barely enough to survive, yet public officials charged with serving the people are pressing for higher pay. This is quite an irony because the same economic hardships cited as justification for a salary review are largely products of the Tinubu administration’s policies. The removal of fuel subsidies, a floating naira, inflation, and taxes have deepened hardship for ordinary Nigerians, while political leaders have insulated themselves from these economic situations, taking home as much as ₦30 million monthly, while university professors earn less than ₦400,000.

“Allowances for medical care, housing, internet, security, travel, and even COVID-related expenses are buried in the system. If the government can publish the president’s salary, it should also publish these allowances, because that is where the true burden lies,” an NLC official said.

President Tinubu has repeatedly urged Nigerians to “sacrifice” for the nation, but that message appears empty against recent state spending. A new presidential jet, the relocation of the vice president’s residence, the purchase of SUVs for the president and his family, and controversy over a planned yacht purchase undermine the spirit of shared sacrifice.

Nigeria’s political class is already among the highest-paid in the world when allowances are considered. With mounting debt, shrinking revenues, and millions slipping deeper into poverty, many argue that RMAFC should instead be championing a leaner cost of governance. Redirecting funds from perks and inflated entitlements into education, healthcare, and infrastructure would do more to restore public trust than raising official salaries.

For ordinary Nigerians who sacrifice daily just to survive, the optics of a pay raise for politicians could deepen disillusionment and widen the gulf between leaders and citizens.

The symbolism could not be more damaging. A government that demands sacrifice from its citizens while shielding itself with luxury risks eroding trust in democratic institutions. Nigeria’s middle class is shrinking, inequality is widening, and public frustration is mounting. If leaders persist in prioritising themselves over the people, they may not only ignite greater disillusionment but also imperil the stability of the very state they preside over.