Major General John Enenche (rtd) has called for an upward review of the salaries of Nigerian soldiers, recommending a minimum monthly pay of ₦250,000 for rank-and-file personnel, saying the current remuneration no longer reflects the country’s economic realities or the sacrifices demanded by military service.

The issue of poor pay for soldiers regained prominence after Minister of Defence, Gen Chris Musa (rtd), said the salary had been increased to N100,000 from N49,000.

“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” the minister had said in an interview with News Central.

Daily Trust had taken the story further by comparing what Nigerian soldiers earn with that of their counterparts across the continent.

The soldiers’ new N100,000 monthly minimum salary falls short of what their counterparts in several African countries earn.

Findings showed that a private in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) earns between R8,500 and R12,000 monthly, equivalent to about N715,607 and N1.01 million using an exchange rate of R1 to N84.19, according to the 2026/27 South African National Defence Force salary schedule published by MoneyToday, a South African publication tracking salaries.

The gap is equally pronounced in East Africa. Estimates published by BusinessThisday in Kenya show that privates and corporals in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) earn between KSh19,941 and KSh70,000 monthly, equivalent to about N212,908 and N747,383 using an exchange rate of KSh1 to N10.68.

Even among Nigeria’s West African neighbours, soldiers generally earn considerably more.

According to World Salaries, an entry-level soldier in The Gambia earns about 125,100 Gambian dalasi annually, equivalent to approximately N2.35 million or about N195,910 monthly.

The same database estimates that entry-level soldiers in Togo receive about 3.83 million CFA francs annually, equivalent to approximately N9.21 million, or about N767,564 monthly, using an exchange rate of 1 CFA to N2.41.

Comparable entry-level salaries stand at roughly equivalent of N526,962 per month in Niger Republic, about N661,892 in Benin Republic, around N547,000 in Senegal, and approximately N803,046 monthly in Cameroon.

Speaking on the issue of remuneration for Nigerian soldiers during an interview on ARISE TV on Sunday, Enenche, a former Director of Defence Information, said the proposed N250,000 salary should serve as a modest baseline to enable soldiers meet basic living expenses.

“For me, a Nigerian soldier from the base shouldn’t be paid anything less than ₦250,000 per month,” he said.

He argued that the recommendation was justified by the rising cost of living, noting that feeding, transportation and other essential expenses had become significantly more expensive.

“Even this ₦250,000 I’m talking about is modest,” he said, citing transport costs in cities like Abuja, where a single trip could cost between ₦1,000 and ₦2,000.

The retired general dismissed suggestions that government-provided accommodation, uniforms and weapons compensate for low pay, insisting that military personnel make unique sacrifices that set them apart from other public servants.

“A soldier is somebody that has sacrificed all. You have bought his time. A soldier is not a mercenary. So how can he go and buy his gun?” he said.

Enenche also stressed that soldiers remain on duty at all times and cannot pursue side businesses or farming to supplement their income because of the demands of military service.

The call also echoes concerns repeatedly raised by serving and retired military personnel over the declining purchasing power of soldiers’ salaries.

Security experts have long argued that improving troops’ welfare is critical to boosting morale, professionalism and operational effectiveness, particularly as Nigerian security forces continue to battle insurgency, banditry and other security threats across the country. (Weekend Trust)

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