The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to stop a proposed salary increase for Nigeria’s political and public office holders, including the President, Vice-President, governors, and lawmakers.
The lawsuit, with case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1834/2025, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja. SERAP is asking the court to declare the proposed salary hike unlawful and unconstitutional, arguing it violates the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 and the RMAFC Act.
SERAP’s legal action comes after the RMAFC announced its proposal to increase the salaries of these officials, claiming their current pay is “paltry.”
However, SERAP argues that arbitrarily increasing salaries goes against public interest and is an abuse of the commission’s power.
The organization’s lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Ms. Oluwakemi Oni, and Andrew Nwankwo, are also seeking a court order to compel the RMAFC to review and reduce the salaries and allowances of these officials to reflect the country’s economic realities.
In the suit, SERAP contends that it is unreasonable to increase political salaries when over 133 million Nigerians are poor and many state governments are struggling to pay workers’ salaries and pensions.
The organization also highlighted a previous court ruling from June 2021 where Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor ordered the RMAFC to reduce the salaries of National Assembly members to align with the country’s economic situation.
No date has been set for the hearing.
