Introduction
This article is aimed at revealing the salaries of various political officers in Nigeria. It includes salaries of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of National House of Representative, Federal Ministers, States Governors, Members of National Assembly, States Commissioners, Local Government Chairmen, Councilors and etc.
Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has reviewed the salaries of the President, Vice President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives and Speakers in the 36 states of the federation, as well as well other legislators in both the National and State Assemblies among other public officers in the country.
The remuneration packages for most of the top officers include annual salaries, accommodation, vehicle maintenance and fuel, Personal Assistants, house maintenance, domestic staff, entertainment and utility allowances. Others allowances are constituency allowance, annual leave, hardship allowance, wardrobe, newspapers and responsibility allowances, etc.
Specifically, the salaries for each are as follows;
Salary of the President of Nigeria
Based on the total package prepared by the RMAFC, the President’s (Muhammadu Buhari) annual salary and allowances stand at N14.4 million.
Find a further break down of some of the President’s basic salary and allowances:
- Basic Salary: N514,705
- Hardship allowance: N1,757,350
- Constituency: N 8,786,762 and
- Leave Allowance: N351,470
The Federal Government is to provide him with all his needs including vehicles, Special Assistants, Personal Assistants, entertainment, security, utility bills, newspapers, medical bills and clothing.
The President’s estacode (travel allowance) and duty tour allowance were not specified.
He is to receive 300 percent of his salary as gratuity upon successful completion of his tenure.
Salary of the Vice President of Nigeria
The Vice President is to receive an annual Basic Salary of N2,064,400; Hardship allowance of N1,515,786.25 and a Constituency Allowance of N7,578,931.25, bringing his total annual earning to N12.1million.
About 75 percent of his annual basic salary would be paid for vehicles and their maintenance if he chooses to buy his vehicles and maintain them.
The VP is to receive another 25 percent to hire his Personal Assistants;
75 percent for domestic staff; 45 percent for entertainment and
30 percent for utility.
He is to receive a separate 20 percent of his salary for monitoring;
200 percent for accommodation and
300 percent for furniture.
His duty Tour Allowance stands at N 35,000 per night and an estacode (travel allowance) of $900 per night.
He is also to receive 10 percent of his salary as Leave Allowance and
300 percent as gratuity upon a successful completion of his tenure.
Salary of the Senate President of Nigeria
Also, following a downward review of salaries and allowances of both the National and State Assembly legislators, the Senate President will receive a basic annual salary of N2,484,242.50 and allowance of N6.2 million, bringing the total to N8.69Million. His monthly salary is about N724,570. In addition, he collects 250 percent of his Annual Salary as Constituency Allowance.
However, his vehicles and their maintenance are provided by the Federal Government. Similarly, his domestic staff, entertainment, utilities, security responsibility, Legislative Aids, House Maintenance as well as a Special Adviser and a Personal Assistant are provided by the Federal Government. Similarly, his clothing and newspapers are provided for the also.
Other non-regular allowances include 300 percent gratuity for the Senate President; and estacode of $1,000 per night for foreign trips, as well as, a N37,000 per night duty tour allowance.
Salary of the Deputy Senate President of Nigeria
The Deputy Senate President enjoys the same benefits as the Senate President except that his annual basic salary stands at N2,309,166.75, total allowance N 5,772,916.8, bringing total annual salary to N8,082,083.63 and a monthly pay of N673,506.97.
The Deputy Senate President gets N32,000 per night as Duty Tour Allowance. Senators receive $ 1,000 as estacode and a duty tour allowance of N23, 000 per night.
Salaries of Other Senate Members
The Senate Majority Leader receives a salary of N12,968,960. The Minority leader receives a total annual salary of N12,908,168. The Whip receives N12,867,000. The same applies to Committee Chairmen. Incidentally, in the last administration, almost all senators were chairmen of various committees.
The allowances received by the members of the upper legislative chamber is far more than their salaries indicate.
For instance, each senator receives 75 percent of the annual salary as the allowance for a vehicle and its maintenance. They collect another 75 percent of their salaries for domestic staff; 30 percent for entertainment; 30 percent for utilities; 25 percent for clothing; and 250 percent as constituency allowance. This is on annual basis.
Others include, an unspecified allowance, which stands at 53 percent; newspapers 15 percent; Personal Assistance, 24 percent; and House maintenance 5 percent.
In addition, the Majority Leader receives 10 percent for Responsibility; Minority Leader 7%; while the Whip and Committee chairmen receive 5 percent for the same purpose.
Ordinary Senators receive a basic salary of N2,026,400.00; annual allowance of N10,739,920.00, bring it to a total of N12,766,320.00.
All the senators who have just finished their terms at the 7th National Assembly are therefore entitled to 300 percent of the annual salaries as gratuity.
In Professor Sagay’s (SAN) perspective, this is the breakdown of the annual salary of the Senators. Some of the items here are not listed above.
- Basic Salary N2, 484, 245.50;
- Hardship allowance, N1,242, 122.70;
- Constituency allowance N4, 968, 509.00;
- Furniture allowance N7, 452, 736.50;
- Newspaper allowance N1, 242, 122.70;
- Wardrobe allowance, N621,061.37;
- Recess allowance N248, 424.55;
- Accommodation N4,968,509.00;
- Utilities N828,081.83;
- Domestic staff N1,863,184.12;
- Entertainment N828,081.83;
- Personal Assistant N621,061.37;
- Vehicle Maintenance Allowance N1,863,184.12;
- Leave Allowance N248,424.55;
- Severance Gratuity N7, 425,736.50
- Motor Vehicle Allowance, N9, 936,982.00.
Salaries of House of Representatives Members
At the House of Representatives level, the Speaker receives a total annual salary of N4,334,942.50.
Just like the Senate President, the Federal Government provides his vehicles and their maintenance. His domestic staff, entertainment, utilities, security responsibility, Legislative Aids, House Maintenance an, as well as a Special Adviser and a Personal Assistant are provided by the federal government.
Similarly, clothing and newspapers are provided for the Speaker by the Federal Government. He receives 75 percent of his salary as constituency allowance. He receives $ 790 estacode per night and N32, 000 per night for domestic trips.
The Deputy speaker whose annual salary stands at 4,002,309.94 enjoys similar benefits as the speaker. He receives $750 and N30, 000 for estacode and Duty Tour, respectively.
The Majority Leader of the House, the Minority Leader, the Chief Whip and Chairmen of Committees receive annual salaries of N6,352,680.00. In addition, they receive 50 percent of their salaries as Vehicle and Maintenance allowance; another 50 percent for domestic staff; 10 percent for utilities and another 10 percent for House maintenance.
In addition, they collect 75 percent for constituency allowance, 25 percent for Personal Assistant. Other members enjoy similar allowances. Members receive $550 and N21,000 for estacode and domestic trips, respectively.
Salaries of Federal Ministers
The annual basic salary of a substantive minister is N2,026,400 (N168,866:66 per month).
Each of the ministers is also entitled to N6,079,200 as furniture allowance, which is paid once in four years. If any of the ministers desires, he or she is also entitled to N8,105,600 as motor vehicle allowance. However, the motor vehicle allowance is a loan repayable by the end of the tenure of the minister.
Other allowances include;
- Motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance of N1,519,800 (annual value).
- Domestic staff – N911,880 annually
- Entertainment – N607,920
- Utilities – N405,280
- Monitoring allowances – N303,960
- Personal Assistant allowances – N506,000
- Newspaper allowances – N303,960
- Leave allowance – N202,640
- Tour duty – N35,000
- Estacode allowance – $900 per night
- Housing allowance – N4,052,800
The summation of these annual allowances is N13,374,240 for each minister excluding the optional vehicle allowance.
State Houses of Assembly Members Salaries
Speakers of the State Houses of Assembly enjoy all the benefits as their federal counterpart where virtually all they need are provided with public funds. However, their annual salaries stand at N2,049,843.75 and a Constituency Allowance of 25 percent of their Annual Salaries.
Deputy Speakers receive N1,807,478.13 and 25 percent of same as constituency allowance.
Members of the House of Assemblies receive annual salaries of N2,473,866.25.
Further analysis by Economic Confidential reveals that an average Nigerian worker with a minimum wage of N18,000 a month will have to work for four years before earning the utility allowance for one legislator. Unless the remuneration package is reviewed downward or upward by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, the legislators will continue to enjoy the current official salaries and allowances.
See the Realities of Minimum Wage for the Nigerian Common Man
Salaries of States Governors and Other States’ Political Officers
Nigerian Governors earn N2.2 Million Monthly as basic salary. There are still other entitlements and allowances that they earn at the end of the month, quarterly and yearly. The figure can rise to as high as N5million per month. You cannot really ascertain the actual amount a state Governor in Nigeria takes home at the end of every month. There are so many benefits, and allowances which fluctuate monthly and also vary per state. Though the basic salary of all State Governors in Nigeria is the same all around the Federation.
The Deputy State Governors in Nigeria earn N2.11 million monthly as basic salary.
The State Commissioners in Nigeria earn N1.33 million monthly as basic salary
Salaries of Local Government Political Officers
The annual emolument package of a Local Government Chairman include a basic salary of N1,026,327, personal assistant allowance N256,581, domestic allowance N769,745, entertainment allowance N461,847, utility allowance N307,898, security allowance (supplement of N20,000), leave allowance N102,632 and wardrobe allowance N256,581.
A Vice-Chairman is entitled to a total package of N2,803,392, made up of basic salary of N904,320, personal assistant allowance N226,080, domestic allowance N78, 240, entertainment allowance N406, 944, utility allowance N271, 296, security(supplement of N20,000), leave allowance N90, 432, and wardrobe allowance of N226,080.
Secretaries to the councils are paid an annual package of N2.46 million, including a basic salary of N684,395 and domestic allowance of N513,296 and other allowances.
For the elected councilors, each will collect an annual total package of N2.4million, including a basic salary of N669,105 and domestic allowance of N501,828 among other benefits.
Each of the supervisory councilors will collect a total package of N1.86million, including a basic salary of N557,427 and domestic allowance of N418, 070 among other allowances.
Conclusion
Many Nigerians in time past have called for the reduction in the basic salary and entitlements of public officials, as it is believed that they are earning too much. Although many may also argue that it is not the salaries of these public office holders in Nigeria that is the cause of the economic hardship, however, tendencies are that it may be part of the cause. Half of these political officials’ salaries, if put into proper use, could give hundred thousands of unemployed youths useful employment.
To this effect, some political analysts have stood with the claims that the political system of government in Nigeria is too expensive to operate and there is a need for imminent restructuring. This may just be a valid point if Nigeria will move forward.
Compare these Salaries of Nigerian Politicians to that of Nigerian Teachers
See also Nigerian Civil Service Salary Structures
