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Outrage Over World Bank’s Report On Poverty In Nigeria

Published

6 months ago

April 28, 2025

The World Bank’s verdict on Nigeria’s poverty level has attracted widespread outcry, with some interest groups demanding urgent action to avoid a poverty-induced economic meltdown.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, at the just-concluded 2025 Spring meetings in Washington, D.C., United States of America, painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria’s economic outlook in the short to medium term.

Among the highlights was the downgrading of the country’s economic growth forecast, with an indication that the country’s economic policy reforms are largely ineffective in addressing inclusive growth. The institutions ended with a declaration that poverty rate in the country would increase by 2027.

Speaking to Financial Vanguard at the end of the World Bank/ IMF meetings economy observers and Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, expressed embarrassment over Nigeria’s rating in the Spring meetings.

While outlining the key challenges they also made recommendations aimed at salvaging the economy from the looming danger predicted by the global institutions.

Meanwhile, commenting on the World Bank’s verdict on Nigeria’s economy, President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Oye, proposed some short-term interventions that could help shield Nigeria’s vulnerable population and make meaningful progress in the fight against poverty.

But while expressing concerns about the World Bank’s verdict, the ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) said it was unsurprised by the grim projections of the World Bank.

The Country Director, AAN, Andrew Mamedu, said, “ActionAid Nigeria is deeply concerned, yet unsurprised, by the grim projections from the World Bank’s April 2025 Africa’s Pulse report, which forecasts a 3.6 percentage point increase in Nigeria’s poverty rate by 2027.

“Governance remains Nigeria’s greatest obstacle. The World Bank has clearly highlighted the country’s poor performance on governance indicators such as government effectiveness, accountability, and political stability, which remain among the weakest in Africa.

Public institutions continue to fail in managing resources and delivering basic services, which is also widening the trust deficit between citizens and government.

”Institutions like the National Assembly, Judiciary, and others, who are supposed to hold the government accountable and ensure resources are available for the people, are rather making routine approvals and focus on issues that do not support the populace.

”While poverty deepened, the federal, state governments and lawmakers prioritised luxury over lives, budgeting billions for new SUVs and renovation of offices.

”President Tinubu’s administration has continued to sidestep meaningful structural reforms, pushing social protection rhetoric that barely scratches the surface, while ignoring the real cries of the people.

”So, the World Bank is right to raise the alarm, but Nigerians have been raising it long before now.
”Let it be clear: the current trajectory will only fuel further migration, brain drain, instability, and disillusionment. Nigeria is at risk of becoming the global capital of extreme poverty, despite being Africa’s largest economy.

”While the government may claim economic progress, the reality is that the rich are getting richer, benefiting from policies like those in the banking sector where profits have soared to N3.41 trillion, while the poor are getting poorer.

”This is not inclusive growth. Reforms must ensure that the most vulnerable benefit.”

It’s a sobering picture for Nigeria — Adeyanju

Also speaking to Financial Vanguard on the World Bank’s verdict on Nigeria’s economy, a human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, said, “The World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse report for April 2025 paints a sobering picture for Nigeria, forecasting a 3.6 percentage point increase in poverty by 2027, driven by structural economic weaknesses, overreliance on oil, and national fragility.

”This projection highlights a harsh reality: Nigeria, despite being Africa’s largest economy, remains a global epicenter of poverty, hosting 15% of the world’s extremely poor population, with over 106 million Nigerians living below the $2.15 per day threshold in 2024.

“Nigeria’s poverty crisis is both deep and multifaceted, characterized by income poverty, multidimensional deprivation, and stark inequality.

”Key data points illustrate the scale of the challenge: In 2023, 38.9% of Nigerians (approximately 87 million people) lived below the national poverty line, making Nigeria the world’s second-largest poor population after India. By 2024, 106 million Nigerians were in extreme poverty, reflecting a persistent upward trend.

“Inflation, driven by food and fuel price spikes, erodes purchasing power. ”The naira’s 40% depreciation in 2024 amplified import costs, disproportionately affecting the poor.

“Insecurity disrupts agricultural production, displaces communities, and deters investment, particularly in northern Nigeria, where poverty is most acute.

“With 3.5 million Nigerians entering the labor force annually, weak job creation and entrepreneurial prospects drive unemployment and emigration, further entrenching poverty”.

All the signs of poverty, economic failures are present — CISLAC

Also speaking to Vanguard on the World Bank’s poverty rating for Nigeria, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Awual Rafsanjani said, “This report coming from the World Bank is not surprising to us because all the signs are there. We have been advising the Nigerian government to carry out better reforms, economic reforms to address poverty, inequality, and ensure financing for development, and block or reduce or minimize opportunities for corruption and embezzlement.

”There’s no way you can have this kind of tendency of reckless spending, looting, excessive borrowing for just personal consumption or diversion, and lack of productivity in the economy without adverse consequence. ”Even our trade and investment is not yielding the result it’s supposed to yield, and definitely this projection by the World Bank will not be a surprising thing.

“In most of our States, the governors and the leadership are not harnessing the resources in their States. Rather they embark on gigantic unproductive projects just for the sake of taking money away, not for addressing gaps in education, in healthcare system, and even in the infrastructure.

”If this kind of mindset is continued, there’s no way you can deal with the issues of poverty and inequality because if the whole idea of governance is to grab the resources, is to steal the money, is to institutionalize impunity and recklessness in governance, definitely you will continue to witness more Nigerians experiencing poverty”.

How Nigeria can avoid the poverty crises — NACCIMA

Meanwhile, NACCIMA boss, Oye, who is also the current Chairman of the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN), has made some recommendations on how Nigeria can escape the World Bank’s poverty prediction saying, “The government should implement well-structured and targeted stimulus packages focused on vulnerable populations”.

Such measures, according to him, should include cash transfers, food assistance programmes, and direct support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to stimulate job creation.

He stated further: “Independent monitoring and thorough evaluation must be instituted across all processes to curb instances of abuse and corruption.

“Given that a significant proportion of Nigerians rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, there is a need for targeted investment in this sector. Subsidising inputs, providing long-term single-digit credit, and expanding training programmes can help increase food security and foster sustainable livelihoods.

“Expanding access to microfinance for small businesses, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs will promote self-employment and help reduce poverty.

“Facilitating favourable lending conditions specifically for women and youth is crucial, alongside the urgent development of youth-targeted capital to address the ongoing trend of the “Japa Syndrome”.

“Establishing robust vocational and skills training programmes for the unemployed and underemployed will enhance employability and support new entrepreneurs in high-demand sectors.

“Improving infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, will increase market access for farmers and small businesses, leading to increased incomes and, ultimately, poverty reduction.

“There is a need to introduce tax incentives for businesses investing in underserved regions and for those prioritising local employment.

“Public-private partnerships should be encouraged to finance economic development initiatives, leveraging combined resources and expertise for efficient delivery of social impact.

“Expanding social safety nets, which include unemployment benefits and healthcare access, will provide much-needed relief to those facing financial distress and support their pathways to recovery.

“It is vital for the government to act swiftly and decisively to restore peace and security, especially in rural communities, thereby creating a stable environment for agricultural productivity and investment.
“Nigeria should reduce its reliance on raw material exports and instead prioritise adding value through local manufacturing.”

Govt should address key drivers of poverty — Muda Yusuf

In a comment sent to Vanguard, the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf, said Federal Government should take bold steps to address the key drivers of poverty to prevent the gloomy prediction by World Bank from coming to pass.

His words: “This kind of statement from the World Bank can only be conditional, because if the government does the right things, then the situation will not be as gloomy as it has been presented.

“If the government is able to address the key drivers of poverty, then the poverty situation may not deteriorate beyond what it is. If anything, it could be reversed. We have seen it done in other countries like China, where a lot more people have been taken out of poverty because of the kind of policies and governance that are in place.

“So, I think it’s more about how effectively we are able to address the social issues in the country. Therefore, we should be looking at drivers of poverty and how to correct them

“The first, in my view, is to address the rising cost of living. These are essentially the costs of food, energy, transportation, logistics and many other basic things that the poor consume.

“It is the increasing cost of living that makes a lot of people drop into poverty. If we are able to moderate the costs, then many more people will be able to live above poverty. These variables I mentioned are the critical issues as far as the cost of living is concerned.

“The second major thing that the government can do to ensure that this gloomy prediction does not come true is to address the macroeconomic management dimensions of the drivers of poverty. By this, I mean how well the government is able to tame inflation through its macroeconomic policies. Inflation is the greatest enemy of the poor.

“So, this means that we should be worried about the growth of fiscal deficit, reducing the debt level and debt servicing commitments which often squeezes the fiscal space. We should worry about growing money supply which is also, many times, inflationary.

“The third point is that the government should address the issue of productivity because when we have an economy where productivity is an issue, it affects everybody – both the small and large businesses. Because productivity determines the ability to be able to create wealth, to create value. It determines how much effort we need to put in to achieve a particular outcome.

“So, we need to ensure that we create the environment that enhances productivity. And at the centre of that is government investment in infrastructure – energy, logistics, roads, railway system, power sector e.t.c.

“Then the structure of government expenditure, particularly the social sector investment, that is investment in education and health. This is happening already but we need to do a lot more.

“And to prevent more people from falling into poverty is the responsibility of all tiers of government – federal, state and local government have roles to play. If they don’t spend resources available to them in a way to alleviate poverty, then the poverty situation may get worse.

“Another point is to watch the population growth. There is a need to ensure proper sensitization of citizens to reduce their fertility rate without necessarily offending their religious or cultural sensibilities. We should find a way to deal with that.

“We need to address the issue of insecurity. The growing insecurity led may people into poverty because it has affected their cost of living. That’s why many of them have ended up in IDP camps. So, tackling insecurity is one key way of tackling the problem of poverty.

“And finally, is the issue of corruption. Corruption is depleting the resources that belong to the people. When we have situations where resources meant for the people, either at the local government level, state or federal level, are cornered by a few for their own selfish ends, then it contributes to poverty.

“Because the opportunity cost of the resources that have been stolen or diverted for personal goals means that a lot of key commitments of government to infrastructure, education or health will suffer.

“So, we should be looking at the drivers of poverty and looking at how we can address those drivers. If we can address them, then we will not end up in that pessimistic position as proposed by the World Bank.”

Stop playing politics with people’s lives — AAN

While making some recommendations on the ways out of poverty, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) called on the Federal Government to “Stop playing politics with people’s lives and fully strengthen and expand social protection, including universal cash transfers and food support for the most vulnerable”.

They also called for protection of smallholder farmers by tackling insecurity and ensuring access to markets, inputs, and tools to boost local food production.

They recommended further: “Scrap all non-essential public spending particularly the outrageous allocations to government officials’ lifestyles and channel funds to education, healthcare, and job creation; Stabilise the economy through transparent and people-centred fiscal and monetary policies that protect the purchasing power of citizens”.

Making his own recommendations, Adeyanju stated: “To reverse the World Bank’s projected poverty increase by 2027, Nigeria must implement transformative, inclusive, and sustainable reforms.

“Diversify the Economy: Reduce oil dependence by investing in agriculture and technology, supporting agribusiness and job creation.

“Improve public spending transparency and engage citizens in budgeting to enhance governance; Invest in security and conflict prevention to stabilize regions and promote economic activities; Increase funding for education and healthcare to improve productivity and living standards; Support small and medium enterprises through financial incentives and incubation programs; Maintain tight monetary policies and subsidize essential goods to alleviate cost-of-living pressures.

“The World Bank’s forecast of rising poverty in Nigeria by 2027 is a clarion call for urgent action. By diversifying the economy, strengthening governance, expanding social protection, and investing in human capital and security, Nigeria can not only avert the projected poverty increase but also chart a path toward inclusive prosperity.”

Small-scale businesses need to be supported — CISLAC

CISLAC’s boss, Rafsanjani, outlined a battery of measures for averting the economic dangers facing Nigeria.
According to them, “The government needs to be deliberate in terms of its trade and investment opportunity to get Nigerians to engage in both local and national as well as international businesses, so the Small-scale businesses need to be supported, improved so that people can be actually busy doing work, not relying only on the government job that is not even coming.

“So this means that the ease of doing business has to be properly implemented.

“The last issue that I want to also suggest is that agriculture has been a major preoccupation job for Nigerians in the past but because of the insecurity, the farmers are not able to go to their farms and produce food for consumption in the country and also be able to send it out and that also militates the poverty that we see around because when people cannot even farm, they cannot eat, they cannot really take care of their basic needs of just survival and shelter because of the fact that insecurity has made it impossible for them to work and then be able to produce food for the country.”

Govt not serious in addressing poverty — Global Rights

In her comments, the Executive Director, Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu, said, “Nigeria’s poverty gap has in the past three years risen exponentially and currently half of the nation lives below poverty line.

”I don’t think that the government has invested enough to reduce the current poverty level or even more importantly to prevent further decline. But should they be serious about addressing them and pulling Nigerians out of poverty, here are some obvious actions to take; ”Strengthen Social Protection Programmes: Expanding and enhancing social safety nets can provide immediate relief to vulnerable populations. For instance, the government has secured a $2.25 billion loan from the World Bank, allocating $800 million for a cash transfer program aimed at assisting up to 70 million Nigerians affected by recent economic reforms.

”Our worry is that like previous cash transfers, corruption and mismanagement will whittle away the $800 million. ‘However, more practical and sustainable steps to take would include investing in social safety nets like access to social security services for the unemployed, affordable housing, improving access to electricity, access to nutritious food particularly for children, ensuring the efficient and transparent implementation of such initiatives.

”Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improving access to finance can also stimulate job creation. Again, such investment should include greater infrastructural capacity.

”For example, the electricity sector in Nigeria as it currently stands is inimical to development and cannot leverage industrial growth.

”Predictability is also essential for businesses to thrive. Policies need to be stable and predictable.
“Enhance Agricultural Productivity

“Investing in agricultural infrastructure, providing access to modern farming techniques, and facilitating market access can increase productivity and incomes for a good chunk of the population.

”Lessons can be drawn from countries like Niger, where strong growth in the agricultural sector is projected to reduce extreme poverty from 45.3% in 2024 to 35.8% by 2027.

”Apart from lack of access to modern farming techniques, the bane of agriculture in Nigeria is insecurity and the lack of an efficient transportation system. Deal with those two and more people would invest in agriculture”.
(Vanguard)

News

Why We Expanded Presidential Amnesty Scholarship Scheme — Otuaro

Published

22 hours ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

Otuaro (middle) in a group photograph with the PAP foreign scholarship students in the United Kingdom after an interactive session in London on Saturday, 25 October, 2025.

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has expressed his unwavering commitment to ensuring that more indigent students and communities of the Niger Delta benefit from the PAP scholarship scheme.

He stated this while explaining what informed his decision to expand the scheme and increase formal education opportunities for poor students, and to build a huge manpower base in the region.

A statement issued by Mr Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to the PAP boss said Otuaro spoke during an interactive session in London on Saturday with the beneficiaries of the scholarship initiative deployed for undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in universities across the United Kingdom.

The engagement, which was at the instance of the PAP boss, provided an opportunity for the Office and the scholarship students to discuss issues pertaining to their welfare and challenges with a view to addressing them.

Otuaro said that while in-country scholarship deployment was 3800 in the 2024/2025 academic year, the figure increased to 3900 in the 2025/2026 and foreign scholarships were about 200.

He attributed the increase in deployment to the massive support of President Bola Tinubu and the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Otuaro stressed that he was greatly encouraged by the President and the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and that he knows how impressed both of them are concerning the PAP initiatives, which align with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He reiterated his call on the students to justify the huge investment in their education by the Federal Government by studying hard to make good grades.

He also urged them to conduct themselves and be responsible ambassadors of Nigeria while in the U.K, stressing that “you will be adding value to your families and communities when you complete your programmes successfully.”

The PAP helmsman said, “We want the scholarship programme to impact more students and communities in the Niger Delta. That’s why we have expanded it and increased formal education opportunities.

“We want you to take this opportunity very seriously so that the government, too, will be encouraged. I know how much support His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu GCFR, gives to the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“Mr President and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, are very impressed with what we are doing. On your behalf I would like to, once again , thank His Excellency and the NSA for giving you this life-changing opportunity. We are confident that Mr President and the NSA will continue to support us.

“The knowledge you are receiving in your institutions today is to enable you plan yourself and prepare for the future. Whatever knowledge you gain cannot be taken from you.

“So as PAP scholarship students, we expect responsible and good behaviour from you. Government is investing heavily in you and you have the obligation to justify the investment. Be agents of change and avoid acts of mischief while in the U.K.”

News

OPINION: A ‘Crazy’ African Nation, Where Citizens Eat And Drink Football

Published

24 hours ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

By Tony Erha

It was in October, a semi-summer-month and twilight of the year that ushers in the chilling and extreme winter. A nonagenarian woman gave me a friendly smile that revealed cheeky dimples. As I bowed respectfully to her ripened age, she offered a leathery hand for a handshake, which I received warmly, returning her infectious smile. For a youth who prays for longevity shouldn’t deprive the elderly of the walking stick. I had helped her, carrying a furred handbag to our seats on a night-long intercity bus, from Istanbul to Ankara, in Turkey, the Balkan nation, where we stopped over, in year 2004.

She spoke Turkish rapidly, whilst I retorted in a passable and incoherent Turkish language that ‘I don’t speak the official language of the only country of the world that is located on two continents; Europe and Asia. “You American?” She asked in English. It was obvious that my jeans, necklace and a fez cap that I upturned, in the manner of the Yankees, might have portrayed me as one. “No. I am a Nigerian”, I said, dragging the words. “You Nee-jay-rian!” she exclaimed, whilst I nodded confidently. Then she was elated; “Okocha Jay-Jay!” She spoke to others in the bus that clapped and hailed. I wondered why a 91 years-old-woman, was so passionate about football and one of its heroes, as if she was a youth.

At her request, an old video of a football match showed the mesmerising display of Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, viewed on a television set affixed to the bus. There were instantaneous excitement and catcalls each time Okocha, the great football ‘talisman’ from Nigeria, did his ball flips and dribble-runs that displaced his opponents, earning him one of the few (if not the greatest) football entertainers in football’s history. It was as if the video tape, recorded in his notable plays in Besiktas, a Turkish club side, was a live match. So great was Okocha’s global fame that the old woman relived again; “Jay Jay Okocha is a dangerous footballer, who’s full of tricks on the field of play. The only trick he didn’t do with the ball from his bag of football artistry was to play on top the swimming pool”. In Mustafa Ataturk’s nation, footballers of Nigeria’s decent had and still make their soccer very eventful.

Victor Osimhen, the leggy playmaker and striker with a dye-hair like the white mushroom head, who recently renewed his contract with Galatasaray, a Turkish top team, is also a Nigerian, who has received the applause in the peninsula country and across the globe like Jay Jay Okocha. Candidly, Oshimen, the goal mechine, who is a tonic to the Turks and football fans across the world, also does the unimaginative with the round leather, but certainly not with the same fascinating skills of Jay Jay! But the Turkish fans are readily tilted to football fanaticism.

Victor Osimhen

If it’s ‘fanatic-fans’ in Turkish football, it’s certainly ‘supporters hooliganism’ in the United Kingdom (UK), where association soccer (football) was founded in 1863, with similar kicking games played in Greece, China and Rome since 2,000 years. In UK, football is played with fanfares, pool betting and media vuvuzela. English soccer is a gainful entertainment industry raking in huge gate fees from plays, promotions, television and media razzmatazz, which is often imitated in Nigeria, with passions and ‘occult’ following. So worrisome was the ‘social hype and lawlessness’ youths and others attach to English soccer that security operatives have constant migraine fighting soccer addiction and frequent street brawls.

Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Dan Amokachi, Taribo West and other Nigerian stars, that once dominated and currently rule other foreign clubs, opened the floodlight of extremist football following into the country. Once upon a time, the then Prince Charles (now the king of England), was spotted (with young boys) playing the game, inside the Buckingham Palace, all wearing jersey number ’10’ with Jay Jay Okocha’s name inscribed). That the number-one-global-royalty adored soccer by wearing the jersey of a footballer from a third-world African nation, somewhat illustrates that which is often said about soccer being more than a mere sport. ‘Football Tripper’, a British online news porter, describes soccer as “oxygen” to numerous men and women. In Brazil, the South American nation, there is a deity called “Soccer”, as well as it’s a vivacious Reggae, a unique music genre in Jamaica.

Still, it is food and sups in Nigeria. In this Africa’s most populous nation, with plentiful viewing centres and liquor spots, there are live television football tournaments and soccer video games, with consumable food, alcoholics, carbonated drinks and some ‘unlawful substances’ that are at the behest of business owners and ‘intoxicated’ fans.

In what soccer dramatics came to know as ‘the Dammam Miracle’, viewing centres, beer parlours and restaurants were instantly sold out in the country, in 1989, after ‘footbocrazy’ Nigerians, stormed the streets in prolonged wild celebrations. For the Nigerian U-20 football team, at the FIFA World Youth Championship, held in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, came back from a four-goal deficit to level up and defeat the Russian counterpart, making the Nigerian team the first to come back from a semi-final to win a FIFA tournament. Soccer, indeed, is a crazy sport in Nigeria. Once upon a time, a man had shattered the screen of his expensive television, because Austin Jay Jay Okocha, his favourite star, had lost a penalty in a continental match!

It’s said that football, especially when the Nigerian national teams of men and woman play, tends to unite Nigerians than other national blights that turn them apart. Now, the current national fanaticism is for the Victor Osimhen-inspired Super Eagles, to qualify for the 2026 World Cup gala, even though it has to go the extra obstacles of playing more legs, whereas the team had frittered the early opportunities to qualify.

And sensing that most Nigerians care less of the economic woes that plagued them, but for the football fad, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the nation’s President, would cash-in to feed their ago awarding huge cash to high profile football tournaments and wins, like he recently accorded the Super Falcons, the female national team, for achieving a similitude of the Dammam miracle, to bring home a coveted African Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy!

News

Ex-soldiers Fume Over Lifetime Benefits For Sacked Service Chiefs

Published

1 day ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

The sacked Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and two other service chiefs, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, are set to receive generous retirement benefits.

The benefits include bulletproof vehicles, domestic aides, and lifetime medical care.

Their exit follows President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of new service chiefs on Friday.

General Olufemi Oluyede has been named the new Chief of Defence Staff, while Major-General W. Shaibu takes over as Chief of Army Staff.

Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke becomes the new Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas the Chief of Naval Staff. The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position.

The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said in a statement on Friday that the removal of the service chiefs was in furtherance of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture.

According to the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers and Enlisted Personnel in the Nigerian Armed Forces, signed by President Tinubu on December 14, 2024, the service chiefs are entitled to substantial retirement packages upon disengagement.

The document stipulates that each retiring service chief will receive a bulletproof SUV or an equivalent vehicle, to be maintained and replaced every four years by the military.

They are also entitled to a Peugeot 508 or an equivalent backup vehicle.

Beyond the vehicles, the package includes five domestic aides — two service cooks, two stewards, and one civilian gardener — along with an aide-de-camp or security officer, and a personal assistant or special assistant.

They will also retain three service drivers, a service orderly, and a standard guard unit comprising nine soldiers.

The benefits extend to free medical treatment both in Nigeria and abroad, as well as the retention of personal firearms to be retrieved upon their demise.

However, while officers of lieutenant-general rank and equivalents are entitled to international and local medical care worth up to $20,000 annually, the benefits for the service chiefs, though not stated in the document, are believed to be considerably higher.

The HTCOS reads, “Retirement benefits for CDS and Service Chiefs: The following benefits shall be applicable: one bulletproof SUV or equivalent vehicle to be maintained by the Service and to be replaced every four years. One Peugeot 508 or equivalent backup vehicle.

‘’Retention of all military uniforms and accoutrement to be worn for appropriate ceremonies; five domestic aides (two service cooks, two stewards, and one civilian gardener); one Aide-de-Camp/security officer; one Special Assistant (Lt/Capt or equivalents) or one Personal Assistant (Warrant Officer or equivalents); standard guard (nine soldiers).

“Three service drivers; one service orderly; escorts (to be provided by appropriate military units/formation as the need arises); retention of personal firearms (on his demise, the personal firearm(s) shall be retrieved by the relevant service); and free medical cover in Nigeria and abroad.”

However, the policy specifies that such entitlements apply only if the retired officers have not accepted any other appointment funded from public resources — except when such an appointment is made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In such cases, the officers, according to the document, will only receive allowances commensurate with the new role rather than a full salary.

Retired soldiers protest lavish perks

Reacting, some retired soldiers decried what they described as the luxurious benefits and entitlements reserved for service chiefs and senior military officers.

They lamented that junior personnel continued to suffer neglect and unpaid entitlements despite years of service to the nation.

The retired officers expressed frustration over the disparity in welfare and treatment between senior and junior ranks within the military.

One of the leaders of the discharged soldiers demanding their owed entitlements, Sgt. Zaki Williams, expressed frustration over the entitlements reserved for the service chiefs.

Speaking in an emotional tone, Williams, who claimed to be speaking for more than 700 soldiers in his group, said many retired non-commissioned officers had been abandoned despite dedicating their lives to defending the country.

He said, “I don’t really understand how our people in Nigeria do things. The people at the top always do things to favour only themselves. They don’t care about the poor or the junior ones who sacrificed everything.”

The retired sergeant recalled that government officials had made several promises to improve their welfare, but none had been fulfilled.

“Since the day they made those promises to us, we went back home and didn’t hear anything again. Everything just ended there. We’ve been waiting till now, but nothing has happened,” he added.

Williams said the situation had left many of his colleagues demoralised and divided over whether to continue pressing for their entitlements.

“Some of us said we should protest again, but others refused. We told them that day that we were not going for another protest. If the government wants to help us, they should help us. If not, we’re done,” he said.

He also accused senior military officers of frustrating efforts by the defence ministry to address the concerns of retired personnel.

According to Williams, life after service has been extremely difficult for most of them who retired voluntarily or were discharged without compensation.

“How can someone retire after years of service and still not get their entitlement? Many of us can’t even build a house. The senior officers have houses, cars, and everything good, but the rest of us have nothing,” he said.

He added that the little compensation given to some was not enough to rebuild their lives.

“If they give you N2m today, what can you really start with it in this country? You have children, family, and responsibilities, yet you can’t even afford a plot of land,” he said.

Expressing disappointment, he said most junior officers had lost faith in the system.

“We’ve handed everything over to God,” he said quietly. “We’ve cried and done our best. They promised us, but in the end, it’s still zero. We haven’t seen anything. That’s why many of us are now silent.”

Another retired soldier, Abdul Isiak, lamented that promises made to retired personnel had remained unfulfilled, leaving many struggling to survive.

He said, “All you said they would give to them would be done promptly, and they are more than what we need to sustain our lives. This is very unfair. We have suffered a lot, and they’re yet to give us our entitlements after leaving the service. What is our offence? Is it because we are junior officers?”

The former sergeant said the senior officers continued to enjoy generous retirement packages while lower ranks were denied their due benefits.

“We are preparing for another protest for them to pay us. This is very bad,” he said.

(PUNCH)