“Sometimes I have to borrow money just to report for duty,” said Abdulrhaman Musa (not his real name), a corporal stationed at the Mogadishu Cantonment in Asokoro, Abuja.
After nearly a decade in service, Musa earns N63,000 per month, a figure that once offered modest comfort but now barely equates to $40. In 2015, the same salary was worth over $300.
Musa’s story is far from unique. Across Nigeria’s armed forces, soldiers are grappling with shrinking pay cheques, not because their salaries have been cut, but because the value of their earnings has been eroded by inflation and a free-falling naira.
Even as Nigeria spends more on defence than ever before, the troops tasked with protecting the country are struggling to survive.
The irony is glaring: Defence budgets rise, while soldiers get poorer.
In 2025, a Nigerian private soldier still earns N49,000 a month, the same as five years ago. For a captain, the monthly take-home remains at N220,000. These figures haven’t changed since at least 2020, despite Nigeria’s growing defence budget and intensifying internal security threats.
What has changed, however, is the value of that money.
In 2020, when the naira traded at a more favourable rate, a private soldier’s salary of N49,000 was worth around $132. Today, with the dollar hovering at N1,585 to the naira, that same amount is worth barely $31.
A captain’s N220,000 salary, once equivalent to about $594, now translates to just $139.
This means that over the last five years, the dollar value of a soldier’s pay has dropped by nearly 75 percent, even though the naira salaries remains static.
This dip in real income tells a deeper story about the disconnect between Nigeria’s defence spending and the welfare of frontline troops.
Between 2020 and 2025, the country has consistently increased its military budgets.
Defence budgets surge
In 2025, defence and security spending hit a record N6.11 trillion, the highest in Nigeria’s history. That figure, at current exchange rates, translates to about $4.07 billion.
While this cements Nigeria’s position as the fourth-largest military spender in Africa, just behind Algeria, Morocco, and Egypt, little of that wealth appears to be trickling down to the rank and file.
The static pay and steep currency devaluation have left soldiers effectively poorer year after year.
A private now earns barely more than $1 a day. For some, it means borrowing money to report for duty. Others supplement their income through side hustles, despite the risks.
The disparity between ballooning defence allocations and stagnant troop salaries has raised concerns among security experts.
While officials point to improvements in daily ration allowances, which doubled from N1,500 to N3,000, and increased hazard pay, these benefits are often inconsistent and do little to offset the crushing weight of inflation and currency collapse.
Meanwhile, the majority of the defence budget, about 85 to 90 percent, is spent on recurrent costs such as salaries, maintenance, and fuel.
Only a small fraction is allocated to capital expenditure like weapons, vehicles, and technology, raising concerns about the military’s capacity to modernise and effectively respond to Nigeria’s growing security challenges.
Experts warn that the erosion of soldiers’ earnings has direct implications for morale, combat readiness, and national security.
When troops are financially strained, their attention shifts from the battlefield to survival. Recruitment and retention become harder. Desertion rises. Discipline erodes.
“When troops are emotionally and financially drained, their minds are distracted by survival. They can’t give their best on the battlefield,” said Chidi Omeje, an Abuja-based security analyst.
Across Africa, defence spending is on the rise as countries respond to growing insecurity, transnational crime, and regional instability.
More personnel costs
But while nations like Algeria and Morocco channel a significant share of their budgets into military modernisation, Nigeria’s allocations remain disproportionately skewed toward personnel costs.
Algeria, for instance, uses its $25 billion defence budget to invest heavily in border surveillance, air defence systems, and advanced hardware. Morocco allocates billions to modern weaponry, intelligence, and training. These investments offer a clear operational edge.
While some retired officers argue that conditions have improved, especially for senior personnel, many soldiers on the ground tell a different story.
“Military morale is stronger than it appears. Their pay is above average. Their accommodation is better. Healthcare is covered. When I served in Sudan in 2012, it was tough, but those experiences build pride,” said Ayo Shodeinde, a retired Air Force officer.
Shodeinde pointed to rising civilian trust in military institutions, noting that more people now enroll their children in military schools and seek care in military hospitals.
“If people didn’t trust the military, would they use our facilities?” he asked.
But others insist that improvements are uneven and often bypass lower-ranking personnel, especially those stationed in high-risk zones. For many, basic survival is a daily battle.
“If you want a fighting force that wins wars, you must feed it, equip it, and reward it. You can’t starve your protectors and expect to be protected,” said Omeje.
Consequences go beyond individual hardship
According to analysts, low morale, poor compensation, and lack of support systems erode recruitment and retention.
“You need boots on the ground, yes. But those boots need food, housing, medical care, and hope. Without that, no number of bullets will win the war,” Omeje added.
Nigeria’s defence challenges are immense, ranging from insurgency in the North-East to banditry in the North-West, separatist agitations in the South-East, and oil theft in the Niger Delta.
Analysts believe that a strong, well-supported military is essential. Yet, current spending priorities raise doubts about whether the country is building a force capable of addressing those threats long-term.
They argue that until more of the budget reaches the people doing the fighting, until salaries reflect inflation, welfare systems improve, and basic dignity is restored, the situation will remain a national security risk. (BusinessDay)
