Posted on: Thu 21-08-2025

Nigeria’s Political Pay Rise Sparks Outrage as Health Workers Struggle to Survive

As Nigeria battles economic hardship and a crumbling healthcare system, a proposed salary increase for political office holders has ignited widespread anger across the country. Stakeholders argue that while politicians seek higher pay, frontline health workers remain underpaid, overworked, and dangerously neglected.

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) recently proposed a salary review for top political figures, including the President and ministers. RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu described current earnings—N1.5 million monthly for the President and less than N1 million for ministers—as “unrealistic” and “outdated.”

But critics say the timing couldn’t be worse. With inflation soaring and over 60% of Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty, the proposal has been slammed as “provocative,” “insensitive,” and “morally bankrupt.”

While politicians debate pay raises, Nigeria’s healthcare workers face:

• Stagnant salaries that barely cover basic living expenses
• Delayed payments of entitlements and pensions for retired medical staff
• Underfunded hospitals lacking essential equipment and medication
• Brain drain, as skilled professionals flee abroad for better opportunities

Elder Sunday Oibe of the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) called the proposal “wicked and selfish,” asking: “What do they take the rest of Nigerians for? So many retirees have died because their entitlements have not been paid.”

Political Luxury vs. Medical Sacrifice

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other parties condemned the move, highlighting the contrast between political opulence and medical hardship:

• Politicians enjoy lavish perks and allowances far beyond the N70,000 minimum wage
• Health workers receive no extra allowances despite working in high-risk environments
• The government demands sacrifice from citizens while shielding itself from economic pain

“True leaders tighten their belts first,” said NNPP’s Olufemi Oguntoyinbo, citing examples from New Zealand, Ireland, and Greece where leaders took pay cuts during national crises.

Medical professionals and civil society groups are urging the government to:

• Suspend the proposed salary hike for politicians
• Redirect funds to improve healthcare infrastructure and worker welfare
• Raise the minimum wage to a livable standard
• Ensure timely payment of salaries and pensions for health workers

Chief Chekwas Okorie warned that the proposal could “trigger a revolution,” adding: “We are sitting on a tinder box.”

In a country where doctors earn less than lawmakers’ wardrobe allowances, the push for political pay raises is more than tone-deaf—it’s a betrayal of the health sector and the millions who depend on it.

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