The Nigerian Army is one of the branches of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. They are considered one of the largest in Africa.
They play a significant role in the country’s security and national defense. With many young prospective Nigerians eager to join the Nigerian Army, accurate information on pay is very important.
Overview Of Nigeria Army Salary and Allowances
The Nigerian Army pays its personnel based on seniority, rank, years of service, special assignment, and posting.
Personnel posted to high-risk areas are paid higher allowances than those who are posted to low-risk areas. For example, those posted to the north-eastern part of the country, like Borno State, where the activities of terrorists are more predominant, are paid higher.
Personnel posted to other countries for peacekeeping missions also receive higher allowances. Allowances are usually paid daily.
With the recent increase in the minimum wage in July of 2024. The Salaries of personnel in the Nigerian Army were also increased.
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Nigerian Army Ranks and Structure
Understanding the Army ranks structure is essential to understanding how much the personnel are paid. The Army is divided into commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers.
Non-commissioned officers are normally high school/secondary school graduates, while commissioned officers are those who join the Nigerian Army with a college/university degree.
Commissioned officers either go through the Nigeria Defense Academy (NDA) and are commissioned as Regular Officers or through the Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) or Short Service Combatant Course (SSCC) and DSSC OR SSCC commissioned officers.
Commissioned Officers earned higher than non-commissioned officers. The starting salary for a non-commissioned officer is around ₦102,000, while that of a commissioned officer is ₦220,000.
Commissioned Officers’ Ranks
- General
- Lieutenant General
- Major General
- Brigadier General
- Colonel
- Lieutenant Colonel
- Major
- Captain
- Lieutenant
- Second Lieutenant
Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) / Enlisted Ranks
- Army Warrant Officer
- Master Warrant Officer
- Warrant Officer
- Staff Sergeant
- Sergeant
- Corporal
- Lance Corporal
- Private
Nigerian Army Salary Structure by Rank (2026 Updated)
Nigerian Army commissioned officers’ salary:
- Second Lieutenant – ₦220,000.
- Lieutenant – ₦260,000.
- Captain – ₦300,000.
- Major – ₦360,000.
- Lieutenant Colonel – ₦400,000.
- Colonel – ₦560,000.
- Brigadier General – ₦750,000.
- Major General – ₦1,150,000.
- Lieutenant General – ₦1,900,000.
- General – ₦2,500,000.
Nigerian Army Non-Commissioned Officers’ salaries are as follows:
- Private – ₦102,000.
- Lance Corporal – ₦110,000.
- Corporal – ₦113,000.
- Sergeant – ₦125,000.
- Staff Sergeant – ₦150,000.
- Warrant Officer – ₦170,000.
- Master Warrant Officer – ₦210,000.
- Army Warrant Officer – ₦230,000.
Nigerian Army Allowances
There are several allowances and benefits that the Army pays its personnel. As previously discussed in this article, the amount and type of allowances paid depend on where personnel are posted.
Those posted to higher-risk areas receive more allowances and benefits compared to those posted in lower-risk areas.
The Army pays its personnel ₦3000 daily for the daily Ration Cash Allowance, also known as the feeding allowance. It was increased from ₦1500 to ₦3000 in March of 2026.
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Other benefits received by personnel include Housing Allowance, Medical Allowance, Uniform Allowance, Travel Allowance, Operation Allowance, Special Forces & Technical Allowances.
Nigerian Army Training Allowance
During military training, allowances are paid to cadets. The amount depends on the type of training that you are in.
The allowances paid to recruits at the depot under training range from ₦20,000 to ₦25,000. This set of cadets applies to join the Nigerian Army using a high school/secondary school certificate.
The allowances paid to cadets in the Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA) are between ₦30,000 and ₦50,000. This depends on the year the cadet has spent in the academy. A cadet who joins the Army through NDA will undergo both academic and military training for a period of 5 years.
The allowances paid to the Direct Short Service Course (DSSC) cadet and the Short Service Combatant Course (SSCC) cadet are between ₦15,000 and ₦25,000.
