Femi Falana slams pay rise plan for politicians amid hardship

Human rights advocate, Femi Falana, has faulted the plan to increase the salaries of political office holders, describing it as “highly insensitive” amid Nigeria’s current economic challenges.

During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Falana criticised the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission for what he termed misplaced priorities, arguing that the agency had ignored the daily struggles of millions of Nigerians.

“The RMAFC seems to have overlooked the harsh living conditions in the country and the daily hardships endured by ordinary people,” he said.

Falana referenced recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which shows that over 133 million Nigerians are living in multidimensional poverty, questioning the rationale behind any salary increment for public officials.

“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 added.

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) plans to review the salaries of political office holders, describing the current pay structure as “inadequate and outdated.”

At a press briefing in Abuja on 18th August, 2025, Chairman Mohammed Shehu revealed that the President currently earns ₦1.5 million monthly, while ministers receive less than ₦1 million, figures unchanged since 2008. He argued that these amounts are no longer realistic given the responsibilities of the offices and the higher earnings of agency heads.

However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has opposed the proposal, citing growing inequality and the hidden perks politicians already enjoy.

Shehu clarified that the RMAFC only determines the salaries of political, judicial, and legislative officers—not civil servants.

In addition, the commission has commenced a review of 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. Previous attempts to amend the formula failed due to political resistance. The new review, according to Shehu, aims to reflect current socio-economic realities and reduce overdependence on the federal government.