Nigeria Approves Salary Increase Of Police Officers, Armed Forces, Public Servants

In the wake of the Workers' Day celebration, the federal government announced on Tuesday that it approved a 25% to 35% raise in the salary structures of several public servants, including police officers and armed forces.

The announcement was made via the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), which revealed the salary increase will be effective from Jan. 1, 2024, onwards.

NSIWC's head of press Emmanuel Njoku said the increase has been approved for civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures.

Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure Consolidated Police Salary Structure, Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure, Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure have been included in the approval.

"The Federal Government has approved an increase of between 25% and 35% in salary for civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures," Njoku said, Punch reported.

Njoku noted that as per the provisions of Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Federal Government has also approved increases in pension of between 20% and 28% for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme in respect of the above-mentioned six consolidated salary structures with effect from Jan. 1, 2024.

Nigerian civil servants had been requesting to increase salaries before 2024, demanding a 40% increase. However, the agreement was reached between 25% to 35% increase.

The salary increase applies to federal civil servants across different consolidated salary structures. Furthermore, Nigerian labor unions have been advocating for Nigerian labor unions have been advocating increase.

Initially, the Nigeria Labour Congress proposed N615,000 per month, while the Trade Union Congress suggested figures ranging from N447,000 to N850,000, depending on the region. The unions argue that the current minimum wage, which expired in April 2024, is inadequate due to rising inflation and the high cost of living.

Nigerians are going through a hard time as the fuel subsidy removal last year caused an increase in fuel and food prices across the nation. The government is taking initiatives like the announcement of the implementation of CNG, providing cheaper, safer and more climate-friendly energy to common people.