Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has strongly criticised the planned upward review of salaries for political office holders, describing the move as “highly insensitive” given the country’s deepening economic crisis.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, Falana faulted the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for prioritising the welfare of political elites while millions of Nigerians face severe hardship.
“The RMAFC seems to have overlooked the harsh living conditions in the country and the daily struggles endured by ordinary people,” he said.
Quoting recent figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Falana noted that over 133 million Nigerians are living in multidimensional poverty, a reality that makes the idea of increasing politicians’ salaries unjustifiable.
“At this point, proposing higher wages for political office holders is not only tone-deaf but also unfair to the majority who are battling crushing economic pressure,” he added.
However, the RMAFC has defended the proposal, insisting that the current pay structure is “inadequate and outdated.”
At a press briefing in Abuja on August 18, 2025, the Chairman of the Commission, Mohammed Shehu, revealed that the President earns ₦1.5 million monthly while ministers earn less than ₦1 million — figures unchanged since 2008. He argued that these salaries no longer reflect the demands of such offices, especially when compared with what heads of federal agencies currently take home.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the move, warning that it would worsen inequality and pointing to the numerous undisclosed allowances and perks already enjoyed by public officials.
Shehu further clarified that the RMAFC’s mandate covers only the salaries of political, judicial, and legislative office holders, excluding civil servants.
In a related development, the commission has also begun reviewing Nigeria’s revenue-sharing formula, which has remained unchanged since 1992. Under the current model, 52.68% of federally collected revenue goes to the federal government, 26.72% to the states, and 20.60% to local governments.
Previous attempts to adjust the formula have been stalled by political resistance, but Shehu maintained that the new review aims to reflect present economic realities and reduce overdependence on the federal government.
