The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has revealed plans to review the salaries of political office holders in Nigeria, describing current pay as “inadequate, unrealistic, and outdated” given rising responsibilities and economic pressures.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu disclosed that President Bola Tinubu earns N1.5 million monthly, while ministers receive less than N1 million — figures unchanged since 2008.
“You are paying the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria N1.5 million a month, with a population of over 200 million people. Everybody believes that it is a joke,” Shehu said. He argued that ministers and top officials cannot be expected to “put in their best” when paid far less than some agency heads and regulators.
Shehu stressed that the commission’s mandate is limited to political, judicial, and legislative office holders, not civil servants or public sector workers. He urged public support for “reasonable living salaries” for the President, ministers, and directors-general.
Labour Pushes Back
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) strongly rejected the proposal, saying it ignored worsening inequality and the hidden perks politicians already enjoy.
A senior NLC official stated that while the President’s salary may be N1.5m, allowances for medical care, housing, security, travel, and other perks can push the package “well above N100 million annually.”
“The real burden is in the allowances. If the government can publish salaries, it should also publish allowances,” the union said, accusing leaders of living in luxury while workers struggle with the N70,000 minimum wage and rising food inflation.
The NLC argued that billions spent on foreign trips and overseas medical care should instead go into hospitals, schools, and job creation. “If politicians continue to prioritise themselves over the nation, this country risks imploding,” the official warned.
Revenue Formula Under Review
Beyond salaries, RMAFC also announced plans to overhaul Nigeria’s decades-old revenue-sharing formula. The current arrangement, in place since 1992, allocates 52.68% of federally collected revenue to the federal government, 26.72% to states, and 20.60% to local governments.
Shehu said the review would address states’ growing fiscal burdens following recent constitutional amendments. “It has become essential to re-evaluate fiscal federalism to foster state-level growth and ensure equity and sustainability,” he explained.
The commission pledged an “inclusive, data-driven, and transparent” process involving the Presidency, National Assembly, governors, civil society, and development partners.
Finance expert Professor Uche Uwaleke welcomed the review but urged that additional funds to states be ring-fenced for capital projects like infrastructure and power. He also called for benchmarking Nigeria’s model against other federations such as Canada, Brazil, and India.
Long-Running Debate
Efforts to amend the revenue formula have repeatedly failed. Drafts submitted under previous administrations, including Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, were never implemented. Political resistance, analysts say, stems from the federal government’s reluctance to cede a larger share of revenue to states.
Despite past setbacks, Shehu expressed optimism, noting that RMAFC now enjoys financial autonomy for the first time under a new law signed in April.
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