Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has condemned the planned salary increase for political office holders, calling it “highly insensitive” at a time when millions of Nigerians are battling severe hardship.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, Falana faulted the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for what he described as misplaced priorities. He argued that the agency had ignored the economic reality of ordinary citizens.
“The RMAFC seems to have overlooked the harsh living conditions in the country and the daily hardships endured by ordinary people,” he said.
Falana pointed to recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showing that over 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty. He questioned the logic of raising political salaries when most citizens cannot meet basic needs.
RMAFC’s Position
The RMAFC recently announced plans to review the salaries of political, judicial, and legislative office holders, insisting that the current pay structure is “inadequate and outdated.”
At a press briefing in Abuja on 18th August 2025, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu disclosed that the President currently earns ₦1.5 million monthly, while ministers take home less than ₦1 million. These figures, unchanged since 2008, are no longer realistic, he argued, given the responsibilities of the offices and the fact that some agency heads earn far more.
Shehu stressed that the review does not affect civil servants. He also revealed that the commission has begun reviewing Nigeria’s revenue-sharing formula, which has remained unchanged since 1992.
The current formula allocates 52.68% to the federal government, 26.72% to states, and 20.60% to local governments. Attempts to amend it in the past have failed due to political resistance. The new review, according to Shehu, aims to reflect today’s socio-economic conditions and reduce the states’ overdependence on Abuja.
Labour Opposes Move
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the salary review proposal, warning that it would deepen inequality and worsen public anger. The union reminded the government that political office holders already enjoy hidden perks and allowances far beyond their official pay.
Falana’s Final Word
For Falana, increasing politicians’ salaries now would amount to rewarding the few while punishing the many.
“At this point, proposing higher wages for political office holders is not only tone-deaf but also unfair to the majority battling severe economic pressure,” he said.
