Nigerian soldiers have confirmed that the newly approved salary increases of up to 80 per cent are now reflected in their September payments, as organised labour steps up protests over economic hardship and minimum wage concerns.
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday confirmed that personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) have started receiving their September salaries, with the approved salary increase now reflected in their payments.
But public service workers under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) have declared a three-day warning strike from October 2 to 4, 2026, over what they described as worsening economic and mental hardship affecting workers and their dependants.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Samaila Uba, confirmed the upward review to newsmen in Abuja.
“The development represents the fulfilment of a promise by President Bola Tinubu to improve the welfare of military personnel. The efforts of the Minister of Defence and the Service Chiefs in consistently advocating improved welfare and better conditions of service for troops are also noteworthy,” a source said.
Some military personnel have confirmed receiving salaries reflecting the recently approved 80 per cent increase for junior military personnel under the Tinubu administration.
The soldiers said the new salaries began reflecting in their accounts on Wednesday evening.
According to them, personnel from the rank of Private to Staff Sergeant are receiving the approved 80 per cent increase.
A Private, who previously earned about N103,000, now receives approximately N190,000, while a Lance Corporal, whose previous salary was about N110,000, now receives approximately N202,000, according to the soldiers.
The development confirms an earlier announcement by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, who said military personnel had begun receiving the newly increased salaries.
Olusegun disclosed this in a post on X yesterday.
The salary adjustment follows Tinubu’s approval in August of increases ranging from 30 to 80 per cent for personnel of the Armed Forces, with effect from September 1, 2026.
Under the approved structure, personnel from Warrant Officer to Colonel are to receive a 50 per cent increase, while officers above the rank of Colonel are to receive a 30 per cent increase.
About 250,000 military personnel are expected to benefit from the new salary package.
The Presidency had said the adjustment would increase the yearly salary bill for the Armed Forces from N660 billion to N924 billion.
THE JNPSNC directed its national and state leaders to mobilise workers for the industrial action, scheduled to commence at midnight on Friday, October 2, and end on Sunday, October 4.
The directive was contained in a circular dated October 1, 2026, and signed by the National Secretary of JNPSNC, Olowoyo Gbenga, who urged the council’s leadership to ensure the information was disseminated to workers nationwide.
According to the circular, the decision followed the Federal Government’s alleged failure to address requests previously submitted to Tinubu in a letter dated September 21, 2026.
The council directed union officials in the federal, state, and local council services to ensure full compliance with the industrial action, citing worsening economic and mental hardship experienced by workers and other Nigerians.
Members of the JNPSNC include the Nigerian Civil Service Union (NCSU), Medical and Health Workers Union (M&HWU), Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
Others are the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE), Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers (NUPSRAW), National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers (NUPPPPROW) and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employees (NUAEE).
The council had also, on September 29, threatened a three-day warning strike should its demands for the petrol price to be cut to N500 a litre, a wage award and other measures to cushion the situation in the country not be met or addressed by President Tinubu during his Independence Anniversary Address to the nation on October 1.
The JNPSNC leadership is disappointed that Tinubu, in his Independence Anniversary Address, did not heed the demand to slash the pump price of petrol to N500 per litre, down from the current N1,400-N2,000 per litre, depending on the location, or announce immediate measures to ameliorate the socio-economic hardship caused by government policies.
Already, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given its tacit backing to the industrial action, as can be deduced from its statement to mark the nation’s 66th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
In an Independence Day statement by its President, Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday, the NLC said rising petrol prices, inflation, stagnant wages, unemployment and insecurity had deepened the economic difficulties faced by workers and other Nigerians.
The labour centre said the real value of workers’ wages had been eroded by inflation, while rising transportation costs had driven up the prices of food, school fees, rent and other
essential goods and services.
