President Bola Tinubu earns a basic monthly salary of approximately ₦1.17 million, based on the remuneration structure the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) last formally approved for the office of the President in 2007. This works out to roughly ₦14.06 million per year in basic pay. This figure has remained the official reference point for the President’s pay since it was set nearly two decades ago, even though RMAFC has more recently completed a review recommending an upward adjustment that, as of now, has not yet been formally implemented. This article breaks down what makes up the President’s official pay, why public reporting on the exact figure varies, and what a pending salary review could mean for the numbers going into 2026 and 2027.
Who Sets the President’s Salary in Nigeria
The President’s salary is not set by the President himself, by the National Assembly through ordinary legislation, or by any ministry. Under paragraph 32(d) of Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) holds the constitutional responsibility to determine and periodically review the remuneration of political, public, and judicial office holders, including the President, Vice President, governors, ministers, legislators, and judges. This means any change to the President’s pay must originate from an RMAFC review and recommendation before it can be formally adopted.
The remuneration structure currently in use was last comprehensively reviewed and approved in 2007. Successive RMAFC leadership, including the current chairman, Mohammed Bello Shehu, has repeatedly stated in public briefings that this 2007 structure remains the official reference point, describing it as outdated relative to the President’s responsibilities and Nigeria’s economic realities nearly two decades later.
Breakdown of the President’s Basic Salary
Based on the 2007 RMAFC-approved structure, which remains in force, the President’s basic salary and allowances break down as follows.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic salary (monthly) | Approximately ₦1,171,568 |
| Basic salary (annual) | Approximately ₦14,058,820 |
This basic salary figure is the amount most consistently cited in RMAFC’s own public statements, where officials have repeatedly said the President earns “less than ₦1.5 million” monthly, a description used to push back against public perception that political office holders in Nigeria receive excessively high pay. Some other public reports have cited a slightly different monthly basic figure, closer to ₦1.4 million, which appears to reflect differences in how various commentators bundle certain fixed allowances into what they describe as “basic” pay. The ₦1.17 million monthly figure tied to the ₦14.06 million annual total is the version most directly traceable to RMAFC’s own repeated public statements and is the more reliable reference point.
Allowances That Add to the President’s Base Pay
The basic salary is only one part of the President’s total remuneration. Beyond it, the President is entitled to a range of allowances under the RMAFC-approved structure, several of which are calculated as a percentage of the basic salary rather than as fixed sums.
- Hardship allowance, set at 50 percent of the basic salary.
- Consistency allowance, set at 250 percent of the basic salary, which is by far the largest single component added to base pay.
- Leave allowance, paid annually.
- Estacode, an allowance paid to cover costs during official travel outside Nigeria.
- Duty tour allowance, paid for official travel within Nigeria.
- Security allowance, accommodation allowance, and utility allowance, covering costs associated with the President’s official residence and personal security arrangements.
- Furniture allowance, paid once every four years rather than monthly or annually.
- Staff and vehicle maintenance allowances, covering the upkeep of official vehicles and support staff.
Because the consistency allowance alone is set at 250 percent of basic salary, and the hardship allowance adds a further 50 percent, these two components together significantly exceed the basic salary itself before the remaining allowances are even added. This is the main reason public reporting on the President’s “total” monthly earnings varies so widely: some reports quote the basic salary alone, while others attempt to estimate the fuller package including these percentage-based allowances, producing very different headline figures for what is ultimately the same underlying salary structure.
Why Reported Figures for the President’s Salary Differ
Anyone researching this topic online will encounter several different numbers, and understanding why helps clarify which figure is being referenced in a given report. Some articles cite the basic monthly salary alone, in the range of ₦1.17 million to ₦1.5 million. Others cite an annual total that includes both basic salary and regular allowances, arriving at a considerably larger figure once the consistency and hardship allowances are factored in. A separate and older figure that occasionally resurfaces, describing a monthly salary in the range of ₦8 million, refers to reporting from around the time Tinubu assumed office in 2023, when the President’s pay was compared against former President Muhammadu Buhari’s salary under the same 2007 structure. That particular comparison does not reflect what RMAFC has since and repeatedly confirmed as the President’s actual basic salary, and RMAFC officials have continued to publicly describe the President’s monthly basic pay as under ₦1.5 million well after that period. Readers encountering the ₦8 million figure should treat it as a specific, dated comparison rather than the current confirmed monthly basic salary.
Status of the Pending Salary Review
RMAFC has been engaged in a broader review of political, public, and judicial office holder remuneration since 2025, describing it as the first major attempt to update these figures in almost two decades. This review followed an earlier, separate review of judicial officers’ remuneration, which President Tinubu approved in 2024. As part of the process, RMAFC gathered submissions from stakeholders, public hearing memoranda, input from government ministries, and comparisons with remuneration practices in other countries before finalizing its recommendations.
By mid-2026, RMAFC announced that it had completed this review and formally transmitted the amended remuneration proposals, covering the President and other political office holders, to President Tinubu for consideration. As of the most recent public statements, the recommendations remain with the Presidency awaiting a decision, and RMAFC officials have indicated that if approved, any new remuneration package would likely take effect in a subsequent fiscal year to allow for proper budgetary provision. This means that, going into 2026 and 2027, the President’s official salary could change from the 2007-based structure described in this article, but as things currently stand, no new figure has been formally approved or implemented.
The President’s Salary in Context
To put the figures in perspective, it helps to compare the President’s official basic salary against a few other public office holders under the same 2007 RMAFC structure. The Chief Justice of Nigeria earns a monthly basic salary in a broadly similar range to the President, while state governors earn a basic monthly salary lower than the President’s, and ministers earn a basic monthly salary below ₦1 million. These figures have also remained largely frozen since 2007, which is the underlying reason RMAFC has pushed for a comprehensive review rather than isolated adjustments to any single office.
It is also worth noting that President Tinubu has, on at least one public occasion, directed his own earnings toward a specific cause rather than treating them purely as personal income: in a public announcement, he pledged his entire accumulated salary earned since taking office in May 2023, estimated at approximately ₦38.66 million at the time, toward establishing a welfare fund for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, including wounded personnel and the families of fallen soldiers. This gesture, while separate from the ongoing RMAFC salary review, has been cited in public commentary as an indication of how modest the President’s official basic salary is relative to Nigeria’s federal budget and the scale of national economic activity his office oversees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is President Tinubu’s exact monthly salary?
Based on the RMAFC structure approved in 2007 and still officially in force, the President’s basic monthly salary is approximately ₦1,171,568, equivalent to about ₦14.06 million annually. Total compensation including allowances is higher.
Has President Tinubu’s salary increased since he took office?
As of the most recent confirmed reporting, no. The 2007 RMAFC structure remains the applicable framework, although RMAFC completed a broader review in 2026 and submitted recommendations for an increase to the Presidency, which had not yet been formally approved or implemented at the time of writing.
Why do different sources report different figures for the President’s salary?
Because some sources quote the basic salary alone, while others attempt to estimate total compensation including allowances such as the 250 percent consistency allowance and 50 percent hardship allowance, which significantly increase the effective monthly and annual totals.
Who has the authority to change the President’s salary in Nigeria?
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has constitutional authority under the 1999 Constitution to determine and review the remuneration of the President and other political, public, and judicial office holders in Nigeria.
Does the President’s salary include allowances like housing and security?
Yes. Beyond the basic salary, the President receives allowances covering accommodation, utilities, security, staff, vehicle maintenance, and periodic furniture costs, in addition to the hardship and consistency allowances calculated as percentages of the basic salary.