Military veterans have renewed calls for the immediate implementation of a N250,000 minimum salary for Nigerian soldiers, insisting the pay increase was approved by the National Assembly, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, and funded in the 2026 budget.

According to a report by Punch, the demand was made on Monday during a retreat attended by more than 70 military veterans at the Armed Forces Headquarters Command Mess 1 in Abuja.

The Chief of Defence Staff was represented by five senior military officers, who received documents presented by the veterans after the CDS was reportedly unavailable due to a meeting at the Presidential Villa.

Speaking after the meeting, one of the organisers, retired Col. Innocent Azubike, said the military representatives acknowledged the documents and promised to brief the CDS immediately.

Azubike said the veterans were frustrated by the delay in implementing the salary structure despite repeated assurances from government officials.

He explained that the National Assembly passed a bill in October 2025 to review the salaries of serving and retired military personnel after a study found Nigerian troops were among the lowest paid in Africa.

According to him, the Senate approved N250,000 as the minimum salary for the lowest-ranked soldier, with funding included in the 2026 budget, while President Tinubu signed the bill into law in November 2025 and directed that implementation should include three months’ arrears.

The veterans, however, alleged that military authorities later denied knowledge of the approved salary review.

They also faulted recent comments by the Minister of Defence suggesting that the President increased soldiers’ minimum pay from N49,000 to N100,000, arguing that the N100,000 figure resulted from the 2024 national minimum wage adjustment and was unrelated to the military salary review approved in 2025.

Azubike said the veterans would continue preparations for a peaceful protest at the Federal Ministry of Finance if the implementation delay persists.

He added that they believe the planned demonstration would draw the President’s attention to the issue and hasten the release of the approved funds.

The veterans urged the Federal Government to fulfil its commitment by implementing the approved salary structure for serving military personnel without further delay.