The basic monthly salary for Nigerian senators is N168,866, with allowances totaling millions, according to the 2008 Remuneration Act
The Nigerian Senate comprises 109 senators representing the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
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Each senator earns a basic monthly salary of N168,866, excluding allowances.
Additional allowances are provided under the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008, which can total millions of naira per month.
Senators’ monthly allowances include:
1. Constituency allowance: N422,166
2. Domestic staff allowance: N126,650
3. Motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance: N126,650
4. Entertainment allowance: N50,660
5. Utilities allowance: N50,660
6. Wardrobe allowance: N42,216
7. Personal assistant allowance: N42,216
8. Newspapers and periodicals allowance: N25,330
9. House maintenance allowance: N8,443
Combined with their basic salary, these allowances significantly boost a senator’s monthly income, though Nigerians on social media have expressed scepticism about the figures, pointing to additional “running costs” and alleged perks from committee leaderships.
Public reaction:
@aniemeka1 noted the figures are outdated, predating the floating of the naira and the current minimum wage of N77,000.
@Thingummy_Fire argued that senators earn much more through committee positions and other discretionary funds.
@BOTTLE_EYES questioned how senators afford lavish campaigns on these official salaries.
For context, Nigeria’s annual salaries for other political officeholders show wide variations.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu earns N3.51 million annually (N292,500 monthly), the Chief Justice of Nigeria earns N3.36 million annually, while governors earn about N7.78 million annually.
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RMAFC Chairman Muhammed Shehu noted that salaries of political officeholders have remained largely unchanged since 2007, despite rising living costs and inflation.
