By Barnabas Augustine
Following recent confusion about the true compensation of Nigerian Senators, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has issued a statement clarifying the situation.
The RMAFC confirmed that each Senator in the upper chamber receives a total of ₦1.06 million per month for salary and allowances. This figure has been a source of some controversy, with conflicting reports circulating.
Consequently, each legislator receives an annual salary of ₦12.72m and the Federal Government incurs total expenditure of ₦1.4b per year on all senators.
To provide transparency, the RMAFC provided a breakdown of this monthly remuneration. It includes:
- Basic Salary: ₦168,866.70
- Motor Vehicle Fuelling and Maintenance Allowance: ₦126,650.00
- Personal Assistant Allowance: ₦42,216.66
- Domestic Staff Allowance: ₦126,650.00
- Entertainment Allowance: ₦50,660.00
- Utilities Allowance: ₦50,660.00
- Newspapers/Periodicals Allowance: ₦25,330.00
- Wardrobe Allowance: ₦42,216.66
- House Maintenance Allowance: ₦8,443.33
- Constituency Allowance: ₦422,166.66
The statement further addressed claims of additional, undisclosed allowances. The RMAFC clarified that some allowances are paid periodically, not monthly. These include:
- Furniture Allowance: ₦6,079,200.00 (paid once per term)
- Severance Gratuity: ₦6,079,200.00 (paid once per term)
- Vehicle Allowance (Optional Loan): ₦8,105,600.00 (repayable before leaving office)
The RMAFC emphasised the importance of accurate information and encouraged Nigerians to access the official breakdown of remuneration packages on their website. This aims to prevent misinformation and misrepresentation of facts.
The statement clarifies that the RMAFC, not the National Assembly, sets the remuneration package for lawmakers. This addresses accusations that Senators determine their own salaries.
This revised version uses British English with a more formal tone and omits unnecessary details. It focuses on key points and avoids direct quotes for a concise and informative news story.