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Federal, state lawmakers to earn over N49bn as salaries, allowances
The salaries and allowances for the incoming lawmakers may cost the country about N49bn.
The figure covers the salaries and allowances of state and federal lawmakers.
The salaries and allowances are based on data collated from a document obtained from the website of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission.
However, the total allowances are higher than reported as the amount for a number of the allowances was not disclosed.
While N32.60bn will be spent at the national level, N16.32bn will be spent at the state level.
A breakdown shows that the annual basic salary of the President of the Senate is N2.48m each year (about N9.94m in four years) while that of the Deputy President is N2.31m yearly (about N9.24m in four years).
Out of 19 allowances assigned to the Senate President and his deputy, only five allowances were assigned a specific figure.
The disclosed allowances include constituency allowance (250 per cent of the basic annual salary), duty tour allowance (N50,000 per night), Estacode ($1,300 per night), Recess (10 per cent of the basic annual salary) and severance gratuity (300 per cent of the basic annual salary).
The allowance of the Senate President will gulp about N33.29m, which includes annual N6.21m for constituency allowance, annual N248,424.25 for recess, and N7.45m for severance gratuity, which is paid at the end of the tenure.
The allowance of the Deputy Senate President is expected to cost the nation about N30.94m, which includes an annual N5.77m for constituency allowance, an annual N230,916.70 for recess, and N6.93m for severance gratuity.
Other senators get N2.03m as basic annual salary (a total of N8.11m in four years) and a total of N72,137,440 each as allowances.
The salaries of the 107 senators will cost N867.3m, while their allowances will cost N7.72bn.
In the section for the salaries and allowances of other senators, out of the 20 allowances mentioned, only 15 were disclosed.
Speakers’ pay
The Speaker of the House gets an annual salary of N2.48m (about N9.91m in four years), while the Deputy gets N2.29m (about N9.15m).
The allowance of the Speaker is about N18.33m which includes an annual N2.48m for constituency allowance, an annual N247,711 for recess, and N7.43m for severance gratuity.
The allowance of the deputy speaker was pegged at about N17.16m and this includes annual N 2.29m for constituency allowance, N 288,703 for recess, and N6.86m for severance gratuity.
Other members of the House of Representatives get N1.99m as basic annual salary-a total of N7.94m in four years or N58.76m each as allowances.
The salaries of the 358 House of Representatives members will cost N2.84bn while their allowances are estimated at N21.04bn.
The Speaker of a state assembly will be paid N1.64m (N6.56m in four years) as an annual basic salary while the deputy speaker gets N1.45m (N5.8m in four years).
In total, the 36 speakers will get about N59.04m as annual basic salary or N236.16m in four years while the deputies will get about N52.1m as annual basic salary or N208.40m in four years.
The allowance of the speaker will gulp about N5.58m (N22.30m in four years) which includes an annual N409,968 for constituency allowance, N163,987.50 for annual leave, and N3.28m severance gratuity.
The allowance of the deputy speaker will be paid about N4.92m (N19.67m in four years), and this includes N361,495 constituency allowance, N144,598 for annual leave, and N2.89m severance gratuity.
In total, the basic allowances for the 36 speakers and their deputies will cost the nation N1.51bn.
There are 784 members in the 36 state Houses of Assembly each of whom is entitled to N1.34m annual salary or N5.34m in four years and an allowance of N12.97m.
In total, the 784 members cost their states about N4.19bn in salary and N10.17bn in allowance.
‘N’Assembly’s N1.2tn budget’
Meanwhile, checks by The PUNCH indicated that the statutory budgets of the National Assembly and its affiliate bodies in the past eight have totalled over N1.084tn.
From 2016 to 2022, the annual budgets of the National Assembly cumulatively amount to about N915.5bn, while the parliament is currently implementing an N169bn budget for 2023, about N30bn more than its expenditure last year.
In 2016, the NASS got N125bn budget; in 2017, N125bn; 2018, N139.5bn; 2019, N125bn; 2020, N128bn; 2021, N134bn; 2022, N139bn while N169bn was allocated for the current fiscal year.
The political arm of the National Assembly has the Senate and the House of Representatives with 109 and 360 members, respectively, while the administrative/bureaucratic arm has the National Assembly Management headed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, and the National Assembly Service Commission.
The federal parliament has affiliate bodies including the National Assembly Service Commission, the National Assembly Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (the academic arm), Public Complaints Commission, and the National Assembly Budget and Research Office.
Details of National Assembly’s 2023 budget are as follows: Severance/inauguration of outgoing and incoming 9th and 10th Assembly (legislators and legislative aides) – N30.1bn; National Assembly Office, N30.4bn; Senate, N33.2bn; House of Representatives, N51.9bn; National Assembly Service Commission, N10.5bn; Legislatives Aides, N16.5bn; PAC – Senate, N118.9m and PAC – House of Representatives, N142.7m.
Others are the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, N7.4bn; Service Wide Vote, N671.3m; Office of Retired Clerks and Permanent Secretaries, N1,059,121,701; Appropriation Committee Department – Senate, N125m; Appropriation Committee Department – House, N165m; National Assembly Library building (ongoing), N4.2bn.
Also in the NASS budget is N11.3bn for General Services; hosting of Conference of Speakers of African Parliament, N127.5m; NASS Liabilities, N8.5bn; NASS E-Library, N255m; NASS Dashboard, N118.1m; Constitution Review, N850m; completion of NASS Library Complex (repeated), N7.5bn; completion of NILDS HQ, N2.5bn and construction of NASC building, N10bn.
Should the National Assembly and its affiliates maintain the same N169bn for the next three years – till 2027, it would constitute an additional N507bn burden on the taxpayers.
The actual allowances and salaries of the lawmakers had remained a controversial subject. A former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, had in 2018 disclosed that each member of the upper chamber got a basic salary of N700,000 and N13.5m as running cost monthly, a statement that attracted harsh criticisms from his colleagues.
A member of the House of Representatives representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency of Osun State in the current 9th Assembly, Mr Wole Oke, had in an interview with The PUNCH in July 2019 disclosed that his basic monthly pay was N606,000 while his running costs, including allowances, totalled N8.5m.
Oke said Nigerians had been misinformed about the remuneration of the lawmakers, arguing that their counterparts in the United States are paid far more.
PUNCH
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
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