Defence Minister Reveals Soldiers’ Salary Journey: From ₦49,000 To ₦100,000 Monthly

According to Ireporter Online, Musa revealed this during an interview with News Central, where he discussed the current state of the country’s military and welfare reforms.

The former Chief of Defence Staff stated that Nigerian soldiers, who previously earned about ₦49,000 monthly, now receive a minimum monthly salary of ₦100,000 following a recent review by the Federal Government.

Musa explained that the adjustment was part of ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of military personnel, although he maintained that more needs to be done to adequately fund the armed forces.

“When they started, a soldier was collecting ₦49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting ₦100,000,” Musa said.

Speaking on the adequacy of the country’s defence budget, the minister admitted that the current allocation was still insufficient, stressing that more resources were needed to meet the demands of national security.

“It’s not enough,” Musa stated when asked if the defence budget was sufficient.

The Defence Minister also dismissed claims of poor feeding conditions within the military, describing some allegations as misleading and inaccurate.

He referenced the case of a dismissed military officer, identified as Justice Crack, accusing him of deliberately creating a false impression about the quality of meals provided to soldiers.

Musa insisted that military personnel receive adequate meals, adding that some actions were allegedly taken to portray the situation negatively.

He said the meals provided to soldiers included necessary food items and that claims suggesting otherwise did not reflect the actual situation within the armed forces.