Nigerian Army Salary Per Month 2024 After Minimum Wage Increase

How much is the new Nigerian army salary per month after minimum wage increase to N30, 000? Here is the official current breakdown of the amount of money paid as salary for soldiers in Nigeria.

With recruitment into the Nigerian military going on a yearly basis if you visit the website of the Nigerian Army, have you ever wondered or asked how much does the Nigerian Army pay its soldiers and officers?

This write-up exposes how much the Nigerian Army pays their staff. While this information is confidential, we would like to start with the salary structure before we delve into the recent info about the army.

NEW NIGERIAN ARMY SALARIES PER MONTH (2024)

Here is the current full list of the Nigerian Army Ranks plus their monthly earnings.

• Private Soldier monthly pay is N49, 000
• Lance Corporal monthly pay is N55, 000
• Corporal monthly pay is N58, 000
• Sergeant monthly pay is N63, 000
• Staff Sergeant monthly pay is N68, 000
• Warrant Officer monthly pay is N80, 000
• Master Warrant Officer monthly pay is N90, 000
• Second Lieutenant monthly salary is N120,000
• Lieutenant earns N180,000 monthly
• Captain monthly salary is N220,000
• Major monthly pay is N300,000
• Lieutenant Colonel monthly pay is N350,000
• Colonel monthly pay is N550,000
• Brigadier General monthly pay is N750,000
• Major General monthly pay is N950,000
• Lieutenant General is paid N1,000,000 monthly
• General earns N1,500,000 monthly

ABOUT THE NIGERIAN ARMY

The Nigerian Army is currently ranked the fifth best strongest military in Africa and the largest branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF). Although, they are responsible for land warfare, they can also support the Nigerian air force, the Navy and other par-military forces in the country

Currently governed by the Nigerian Army Council (NAC), the head of the Nigerian army is the Chief of Army staff (COAS). The history of the Nigerian Army could be traced to the formation of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) established in the year 1900.

When you talk of the most disciplined ground forces In Africa, the Nigerian Army ranks among the best fighting unit especially for covet operations. One of their greatest achievement was the eradication of the insurgents in the country, Boko Haram.

Apart from this, the organization has witnessed successful regional peacekeeping operations in the past. History has it that when ever there are internal or external crises in the continent, the UN would always seek the Nigerian army to spare head the peacekeeping mission operations.This was evident when civil wars broke out in Liberia and Sierra Leone. It was the Nigerian Army that sent her troops to these troubled regions to maintain order and protect the lives of the civilians. As a respected branch of the military in the country, the army thrives on discipline, order and hierarchy within its officers.

Top generals that the Nigerian army has produced include Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, a one time military head of state and a two-time democratic president elected to rule the country from 1999 to 2007. He was known to have been one of the top officers that fought the Nigerian civil war by leading the 3rd Division under his command.

Major General Muhammadu Buhari was also a key figure that emanated from the Nigerian Army. In fact, he was the current president of the country and grand commander of the armed forces (GCFR).

Even though these successes are recorded, the officers have continued to complain that the Nigerian army monthly salary after increase in minimum wage is still poor, even the benefits they collect isn’t enough owing to the kind of job they do.

Compared to the time when the civil war was fought, the then leader of the logistics department was quoted saying that the Nigerian Army fought the civil war with little or no resources. This has not yet been verified as compared to the Biafran soldiers who didn’t have proper funding to cater for themselves.

This has made professional military bodies, the media, stake holders in the defence sector to pour out their scorn of the government for not properly funding the military as a whole. Complaints of lack of weapons to fight, poor salary structure for its officers, delayed pensions, poor allowances e.t.c are just but a few that have been mentioned.

These problem has seen the government increase its defence allocation to the budget. In the past, the military budget was said to be less than 3% of government expenditure, but a slight improvement has been added of recent due to the Boko Haram insurgents attack in the north eastern part of the federation.

The current administration has promised to look into the welfare and funding of the NA. President Buhari has since taken drastic steps to make sure that officers of the Nigerian army and the military in general are well catered for especially in terms of their monthly salary scale especially after he signed the increase in minimum wage of N30, 000 whilst sanctioning the prosecution fraudulent officers with the NA.

With over 7,000 officers and about 99,000 soldiers. The army still recruits every year through their recruitment portal, either through NDA, DSSC or direct short service. There have been suggestions that their might be an increase in its officers to about 19, 000 able bodied officers with total of at least 200, 000 combatants & land soldiers to fast track its many operations.

FORMATION OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY (NA)

Below is the formation of the Nigerian army under the present Chief of Army staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai:

1. 1st Division, headquartered in Kaduna
2. 2nd Division (HQ Ibadan)
3. 3rd Armoured Division HQ is Jos
4. 81st Division (Amphibious) HQ in Lagos
5. 82nd Division (Airborne and Amphibious) HQ in Enugu
6. 7th Infantry Division (JTF-RO) HQ in Maiduguri
7. 6 Division HQ Port Harcourt
8. 8 Division HQ Sokoto
9. TRADOC (Training and Doctrine Command) HQ Minna.

WEAPONS OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY

Under the current leadership of the Nigerian Army, that is the Chief of Army staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai, the NA has been touted to be one of the most equipped among the military in Africa. For the record, we can’t list all weapons available in the arsenal of the Nigerian army.

The Nigerian Army maintains a minimum of 82 different calibre of weapon systems, 200 types of ammunition both ballistic, RPG’s, tankers, missiles (not nuclear) with about 65 various categories of international weapon grade standard gotten from 14 manufacturers all around the globe.

SO WHAT IS THE NEW MONTHLY SALARY OF THE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS IN THE NIGERIAN ARMY?

Traditionally, Nigerian soldier is paid according to his or her rank. The highest paid rank in the military system is the General with a monthly salary of N1.5 million while a private soldier which is the least rank earns a salary of about N49,000 per month.

For University graduates, you are being paid N150,000 per month with the rank of second lieutenant which is the graduate entry level position after the 6 months compulsory training.

CONCLUSION

While the new monthly salary package of soldiers in the NA even after minimum wage was increased to N30, 000 might not be that mouth watering when compared to that of the Air force or Navy, you should know that you can still build a steady career in the Nigerian army if you choose to join them.

The current salary of Nigerian soldiers with the increase in minimum wage is something the Federal Government should increase without a second thought. This is because these gallant men who wear the Nigerian army uniform put their lives at risk to defend the territories of Nigeria against terrorists like Boko Haram.

Do you also know that the new Nigerian armed forces salary scale isn’t worth celebrating even with the said increment of minimum wage to N30,000 as these military officers in the Nigerian army are paid peanut amounts to defend this country.

Some might argue that salaries are paid according to ranks in the Nigerian army from lowest to highest, but think about the millions of Naira that Nigerian senators and those in the House of Representatives collect as salaries.

Then think of how much these Nigerian law makers collect per sitting after making noise or better still the salaries of Nigerian ministers, Nigerian President and Governors.

Although, the Nigerian army is among the list of strongest armies in Africa due to the various feats and victories in battles it has achieved and recorded since its inception, it is still lacking in terms of being ill-equipped, poor welfare packages and worst of all a poor soldiers salary structure.

One thing I have observed among the Nigerian armed forces is that the Nigerian Navy salary structure and Nigerian Air force salary seem higher than that of the salary of Nigerian Army Officers. But as earlier stated, salaries are being paid according to ranks in the Nigerian army from lowest to highest. (this can be disputed)

According to a report on Naij.com (now legit.ng), it stated that the salary for a Nigerian Soldier fighting Boko Haram insurgents is put at N49,000 with daily feeding allowance of N500. Very alarming if I must confess. 

BELOW ARE FULL DETAILS ON THE SALARY SCALE OF NIGERIAN ARMY OFFICERS (COMMISSIONED AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS)

A. SALARY STRUCTURE FOR NON-COMMISSIONED RANKED OFFICERS

• Private soldier is paid about N49,000 monthly.
• Lance Corporal is paid about N55,000 monthly.
• Corporal is paid about N58,000 monthly.
• The rank of a Sergeant is paid about N63,000 per month.
• Staff Sergeant is paid N68,000 monthly.
• Warrant Officer’s Salary earns about N80,000 per month.
• Master Warrant Officer’s Salary is paid N90,000 in a month.

B. SALARY STRUCTURE FOR COMMISSIONED RANKED OFFICERS

• Second Lieutenant: there are benefits for being a second lieutenant in the Nigerian army as a commissioned officer but the salary is about N165,000 every month.
• Lieutenant in the Nigerian army is paid N180,000.
• Captain is paid N220,000.
• Major receives about N300,000 every month due to his rank.
• Lt. Colonel collects about N350,000 per month.
• Colonel in the Nigerian army earns about N550,000.
• Brigadier General is paid about N750,000 in a month.
• The rank of a Major General earns about N950,000 in a month.
• Lt. General salary is about N1 million monthly.
• General’s Salary is about N1.5 million monthly.

Please note that these salary figures are subject to verification