The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has disclosed that each of the 109 senators in Nigeria’s National Assembly earns a total of ₦1,063,860 in salary and allowances per month.
This statement was made in response to recent comments by former Senator Shehu Sani, who claimed that senators receive ₦13.5 million in monthly running costs in addition to a ₦750,000 salary.
In a detailed breakdown, the RMAFC stated that the monthly earnings for each senator include a basic salary of ₦168,866.70 and various allowances such as Motor Vehicle Fuelling and Maintenance (₦126,650.00), Personal Assistant (₦42,216.66), Domestic Staff (₦126,650.00), and Constituency Allowance (₦422,166.66). Other allowances include Entertainment (₦50,660.00), Utilities (₦50,660.00), Newspapers/Periodicals (₦25,330.00), Wardrobe (₦42,216.66), and House Maintenance (₦8,443.33).
RMAFC Chairman, M.B. Shehu, clarified the commission’s position: “RMAFC does not have the constitutional powers to enforce compliance with the proper implementation of the remuneration package of lawmakers. This lacuna is, however, being addressed by the National Assembly.”
Shehu further explained that some allowances are paid regularly with the basic salary, while others are non-regular and are disbursed as needed. For example, “Furniture allowance (₦6,079,200.00) and Severance Gratuity (₦6,079,200.00) are paid once per tenure, while Vehicle allowance (₦8,105,600.00) is optional and provided as a loan which the beneficiary must repay before leaving office.”
Regarding housing benefits, Shehu added, “Apart from the president, vice president, senate president, and speaker of the House of Representatives, all public and legislative officers are no longer provided with housing, as was the case in the past.”
This clarification follows recent criticisms by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who described the practice of lawmakers determining their salaries as “immoral.” Obasanjo argued that this responsibility should solely lie with the RMAFC. In response, Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu challenged anyone with credible evidence to prove otherwise, describing such accusations as “uncharitable and satanic.”
“The Senate only receives the salary allocated to it by the RMAFC in line with the constitution,” Adaramodu reiterated.
