Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has called on the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff, Lt-General Olufemi Oluyede, along with the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to champion improved welfare packages for officers and soldiers across the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Ndume made this known in Abuja on Thursday, the 30th of October, 2025, after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu decorated the new military heads with their ranks.
The Senate had screened and approved the appointments of General Oluyede and three others a day earlier. Those confirmed include Major General Waidi Shaibu as the Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abbas as the Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as the Chief of Air Staff.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally decorated the service chiefs at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, the 30th of October.
Ndume, who represents Borno South and previously chaired the Senate Committee on Army during the Ninth Assembly, believes that enhanced pay is crucial to keeping troops motivated in the ongoing battles against insurgents, bandits, and other criminal elements threatening national security.
The senator stated: “I have identified four pillars that would make our military formidable at all times and keep security threats in abeyance. This is what I have tagged as TEAM. The first is Training, second is Equipment, Ammunitions and Motivations, in that order.”
He further urged the Federal Government to treat funding for the Armed Forces as a top priority, insisting that defence spending must not be subjected to inconsistent budgeting.
According to him: “The annual budget of the Armed Forces and Other Security forces should be in the First Line Charge and it shouldn’t be discretionary. They should be front loaded.”
READ ALSO: Ndume Urges Tinubu to Tackle Inflation, Unemployment
Ndume argued that soldiers in Nigeria earn far below military personnel in other African countries, despite being exposed to tougher deployment cycles and deadlier missions.
He highlighted the disparity: “In Ghana, the entry-level pay for a private soldier is equivalent to about N180,000 per month; in South Africa, the basic pay for enlisted personnel starts at about N250,000 monthly (converted).
“In Egypt, junior enlisted officers earn the equivalent of N230,000–N280,000 monthly; and in Kenya, a private earns about N200,000, excluding operational allowances.
“In Nigeria, the average private soldier earns significantly less despite higher deployment frequency and operational demands. “The current remuneration and minimum entry-level wage for many personnel across these services have been outpaced by rising living costs, with knock-on effects on morale, recruitment, retention, and operational effectiveness particularly for personnel deployed in high-risk theatres and remote locations.”