The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Alhaji Mohammed Shehu, has said Nigeria’s political office holders are among the least paid in the world, arguing that their remuneration needs to be reviewed.
Shehu said the salaries of public office holders had remained unchanged since 2008 despite three previous attempts to review the remuneration structure.
The RMAFC chairman spoke during a meeting with editors at the weekend, where he also disclosed that the review of remuneration for executive and legislative office holders was at an advanced stage.
According to him, an executive bill on the Political and Public Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 2026, is expected to be transmitted to the National Assembly.
Shehu said the current remuneration structure was not ideal, noting that the President earns about N1.5 million monthly, which he said was lower than the salaries of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
He said under the proposed review, the President’s salary would be brought closer to that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, whose monthly remuneration is approximately N5.39 million.
“We cannot place the executive above the judiciary,” he said.
Shehu also underscored the constitutional role of RMAFC in Nigeria’s governance architecture, noting that the commission is responsible for monitoring revenue accruals into the Federation Account, advising on revenue allocation formulas and overseeing remuneration for public office holders.
“This Commission stands at the heart of fiscal federalism in Nigeria,” he said.
“Every month, as revenues are shared among the federal, state and local governments, the work of this Commission directly influences national stability, development equity, and intergovernmental harmony,” he added.
He, however, expressed concern over the limited public understanding of the commission’s mandate, saying its responsibilities were often viewed as technical, distant or misunderstood.
“Too often, the Commission’s work is perceived as technical, distant, or misunderstood. In today’s democratic environment, that is no longer sufficient. Transparency must not only be practised; it must also be communicated clearly,” Shehu said.
The RMAFC chairman unveiled the Commission’s Strategic Communications Blueprint 2026–2030, saying the initiative was designed to strengthen public understanding of revenue allocation and fiscal governance.
He said revenue volatility required stronger monitoring mechanisms, while citizens were demanding greater accountability in public finance and states were seeking fairness and predictability in revenue allocation.
According to Shehu, the reform strategy would focus on institutional clarity, transparency through technology, structured media engagement, thought leadership in fiscal federalism, internal alignment and professional excellence, as well as safeguarding the Commission’s neutrality.
“We will clearly articulate who we are, what we do, and what we are not. RMAFC is not a revenue-generating agency. We are the constitutional custodians of revenue fairness and fiscal equity,” he said.
He said the commission would modernise its digital platforms, introduce accessible revenue allocation dashboards and improve data accessibility to enable Nigerians to better understand how resources are distributed.
“We will institutionalise quarterly briefings, policy explainers, and proactive media engagement to ensure accurate public understanding of allocation processes and sundry issues,” he said.
Shehu added that RMAFC would play a more visible role in national discussions on revenue diversification, allocation reforms and remuneration governance.
He also stressed the importance of strengthening internal standards and professional conduct within the commission.
“Reform begins within. Our Commissioners and staff will operate under unified messaging standards, strengthened operational discipline, and enhanced performance transparency,” he said.
Shehu said the communications reform would not compromise the political neutrality of RMAFC, stressing that all activities would remain anchored in the Constitution and the commission’s statutory mandate.
“Let me be clear: this initiative does not politicise the Commission. On the contrary, it reinforces our constitutional neutrality.
“Every communication under this reform will be anchored strictly within the provisions of the Constitution and our statutory mandate. Our loyalty is to the Federation of Nigeria, not to partisan interests. Fiscal equity is not a political slogan. It is a constitutional duty.”
He expressed optimism that the initiative would strengthen public confidence in RMAFC, improve intergovernmental trust, enhance the commission’s institutional credibility and raise the standard of fiscal governance in Nigeria.
Shehu said the reforms could also contribute to a more stable federation where each tier of government understands not only what it receives from the Federation Account, but the basis for the allocation.
He called for greater collaboration among government institutions, the media, civil society and academia to strengthen Nigeria’s revenue governance framework.
“Repositioning an institution of this stature requires collaboration. I therefore call on the executive arm for policy cooperation, the legislature for constructive engagement, state governments for sustained dialogue, the media for responsible reportage, and civil society and academia for informed participation. Together, we can strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s revenue governance framework,” he said.
He described the initiative as the beginning of a new phase for the commission, moving from what he called quiet constitutional oversight to visible institutional leadership and from reactive communication to strategic engagement.
“This reform is not about image. It is about responsibility. It is about ensuring that every naira due to the Federation is properly monitored, fairly allocated, and transparently accounted for,” Shehu said.
“With discipline, professionalism, and unwavering constitutional fidelity, we will reinforce the Commission’s role as a stabilising pillar of our federal democracy,” he added.
