By Suleiman Anyalewechi
A former Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche has advocated for a minimum monthly salary of N250,000 for serving Nigerian soldiers.
General Enenche’s position is coming against the backdrop of the recent revelation by the Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa rtd, to the effect that the minimum wage for soldiers has been increased from N49,000 to N100,000 monthly.
But on an Arise Television Interview on Sunday, July 26, 2026, General Enenche insisted that the new N100,000 minimum wage is grossly insufficient going by the realities of the harsh economic situation in the country ,as well as the enormous sacrifices being made by those in military service.
According to the former Defence spokesperson, N250 ,000, should be the modest baseline for soldiers if they are to hold their own amidst the inflationary and excruciating economic situation in the country.
He contented that even the N250,000 will still not be sufficient to carry a soldier through the month in the face of increasing cost of living in the present circumstances.
However, he expressed strong belief that a minimum monthly salary of N250,000 for serving military personnel would significantly boost his economic standing, and morale.
” For me, a Nigerian soldier from the base shouldn’t be paid anything less than N250,000 per month.
” Even this N250,000 I am talking about is just modest when placed with the rising cost of feeding, transportation and other essential expenses.There are some instances in cities like the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, where a single trip could cost as much as between N1000 and N2000″, Enenche stated.
This is as he dismissed claims of the provisions of some basic amenities like accommodation, uniforms and weapons for soldier by the Government. He noted that military personnel who most often pay the supreme sacrifice deserve nothing less than a living wage .
He maintained that whatever provisions being made by the authorities in the course of soldiers discharging their constitutional duties do not compensate for the low remuneration package.
“A soldier is somebody that has sacrificed all. You have bought his time. A soldier is not a mercenary. So, how can he go and buy his gun”, the former Defence spokesperson added.
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