The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has revealed plans to review the salaries of political office holders, describing their current pay as inadequate, outdated and unrealistic given rising responsibilities and economic pressures.
RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu disclosed that President Bola Tinubu currently earns ₦1.5 million monthly, while ministers take home less than ₦1 million — figures unchanged since 2008.
“You cannot pay the President of Nigeria ₦1.5 million with a population of over 200 million people and expect that to be taken seriously,” Shehu said. He added that some agency heads earn ten to twenty times more than the President or Attorney-General, which he described as unfair.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has opposed the proposal, arguing it worsens inequality and ignores hidden perks already enjoyed by political leaders.
Shehu clarified that RMAFC is constitutionally mandated to fix salaries for political, judicial and legislative office holders, not civil servants or public sector workers.