The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has announced plans to review and possibly increase the salaries of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and other top political office holders. The Commission argued that the current pay structure does not reflect the responsibilities tied to such offices.
Addressing a conference in Abuja on Monday, August 18, 2025, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu noted that the salaries of political leaders have remained unchanged since 2008 despite mounting national responsibilities.
He stressed that the President currently earns ₦1.5 million monthly, an amount he described as “untenable and unrealistic.” According to him, “You cannot pay the President of Nigeria ₦1.5m monthly with a population of over 200 million people and expect it to be taken seriously.
You pay either a CBN governor or the DG ten times more than you pay the President. Or you pay him twenty times higher than the Attorney-General of the Federation. That is absolutely not right.”
However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) condemned the move, warning it would be unjust to raise politicians’ pay while ordinary Nigerians face inflation and poverty. “This is a misplaced priority. Nigerian workers have been demanding a fair minimum wage, yet government is considering increments for politicians,” the NLC said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other civil society groups also criticized the plan, cautioning that it could worsen inequality and erode public trust in government.