Nigeria Lawmakers Smile Home Monthly with Jumbo Pay Amidst Nationwide Hunger

As the hunger crisis deepens across Nigeria, lawmakers in the National Assembly continue to receive hefty paychecks, raising questions about their priorities amid the suffering of millions.

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) disclosed that each of the 109 senators in the red chamber earns a staggering ₦1,063,860 in salary and allowances monthly.

This revelation stings even harder as the majority of Nigerians grapple with food insecurity and rising poverty levels.

RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Bello Shehu, clarified the commission’s role, stating, “In view of the recent statement made by Mr. Shehu Sani, a former Senator of the Federal Republic who was reported to have disclosed to the public that each Senator collects a monthly running cost of ₦13.5M in addition to the monthly ₦750,000 prescribed by the Commission.”

The commission provided a breakdown of senators’ allowances, which includes Basic Salary (₦168,866.70), Vehicle Fuelling and Maintenance (₦126,650), and Constituency Allowance (₦422,166.66), among others.

The commission’s statement, however, underscores a concerning gap. RMAFC admitted that it does not possess the constitutional power to enforce the proper implementation of lawmakers’ remuneration packages. “This lacuna is, however, being addressed by the National Assembly,” Shehu stated, but the ongoing salary structures remain largely unchecked.

Shehu elaborated that while some allowances are regular and paid with the basic salary, others like the ₦6,079,200 furniture allowance and the ₦8,105,600 vehicle allowance (the latter of which is a loan to be repaid) are paid as due over a tenure. Yet, despite such perks, the majority of the Nigerian populace continues to face food shortages, underscoring the stark economic disparity.

The disparity between political elites and the struggling masses was further highlighted on Sunday when the Senate reacted strongly to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comment that lawmakers set their own salaries.

Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu vehemently denied the allegation, calling it “uncharitable and satanic,” and challenged anyone with credible evidence to prove otherwise.

He insisted that the National Assembly only receives the salary allocated by the RMAFC in line with constitutional guidelines.

In the face of a nationwide hunger crisis, the seeming disconnect between the political class’s lifestyle and the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians continue to fuel public outrage. While lawmakers smile home with their jumbo pay, Nigerians are left with an ever-deepening hunger that their leaders appear unable—or unwilling—to address.