Nigerian Civil Service Salary Guide 2026: Minimum Wage, Salary Structure and Allowances

Nigerian civil servants are paid through several separate salary systems. The federal civil service uses CONPSS, the police and military have their own structures, and each state sets its own pay for state civil servants. This guide sets out the main figures by sector, with sources, so you can see where the numbers come from and how much they disagree.

Read this first: salary figures in Nigeria are often published by aggregator websites that disagree with each other. Where reports conflict, we show the range and name the source. Basic monthly pay is usually lower than take-home pay, because allowances are paid on top. Always check the latest official circular from the relevant agency or state government before relying on any figure.

1. Federal civil service (CONPSS)

Most federal civil servants in ministries and federal agencies are paid under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS). It has 17 grade levels (GL 01 to GL 17), and each grade has steps within it.

• Entry level (GL 01, Step 1): roughly ₦70,000 to ₦77,500 a month. One aggregator reports ₦77,500 basic, another reports the ₦70,000 national minimum as the entry point.
• Top of the scale (GL 17): one aggregator reports about ₦552,780 a month at the top, while another estimates up to about ₦739,166 at the top step. The difference is probably in the step assumptions, so confirm against the NSIWC table.
• Graduates: commonly reported to start at GL 08, depending on qualification and the employing agency.

The national minimum wage is ₦70,000 a month. It has not changed since it was signed into law in July 2024.

Where to check federal civil service pay

• NSIWC (National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission): publishes the official CONPSS tables and consequential adjustment circulars. This is the primary source for grade and step figures.
• Federal Civil Service Commission: fedcivilservice.gov.ng, for recruitment, appointments and civil service circulars.
• IPPIS (Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System): the federal payroll system. Your pay slip and your IPPIS record should show the same grade, step and allowances.
• Your ministry or agency HR or payroll unit: can confirm your grade and step and explain any deductions.

2. Police (CONPOSS)

Police pay is set under the Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), separate from CONPSS. Reported figures for July 2026 (Awajis) at step 1 basic pay:

• Constable: about ₦48,113 a month
• Sergeant: about ₦55,973
• Inspector: about ₦87,135
• Commissioner of Police: about ₦502,970
• Inspector-General of Police: about ₦1,234,450

These figures conflict with others. A Dubawa fact-check of a viral post found constable and corporal pay around ₦51,113 under CONPOSS, and aggregator sites give constable pay ranging from about ₦43,000 to ₦70,000. Allowances for rent, transport, uniform and risk are paid on top, so take-home pay is higher than basic. The Police Service Commission released the final list of 50,000 constable recruits on 15 July 2026.

Where to check police pay

• Police Service Commission: psc.gov.ng, for recruitment, promotions and official notices on pay for constables and officers.
• Nigeria Police Force: npf.gov.ng, for official statements on the police salary structure and allowances.
• Force Headquarters pay office or your command's accounts unit: to confirm your rank, step and deductions.
• Treat aggregator figures with caution: the police structure has conflicting reports, so compare any figure against your own pay slip and an official circular.

3. Armed forces (new scale from 1 September 2026)

President Bola Tinubu approved pay increases of 30% to 80% for about 250,000 military personnel, effective 1 September 2026. The increases are largest at the lower ranks: soldiers from Private to Staff Sergeant get 80%, warrant officers up to Colonel get 50%, and generals get 30%.

• Private (lowest rank): from about ₦104,000 a month to about ₦187,200, according to documents reported by LEADERSHIP and Legit.ng.
• General: about ₦3.25 million a month under the new scale.

Defence Minister Christopher Musa had earlier said the minimum for a soldier had been raised to about ₦100,000, so the figures above are the newer, fuller scale. Reports differ on the exact base for each rank, so use the published Legit.ng rank list or the Army's own circular for specific ranks.

Where to check armed forces pay

• State House and the Presidency: the approval statement for the 1 September 2026 scale was issued through the Presidency. Check for the official communiqué and any circular from the Ministry of Defence.
• Ministry of Defence and Nigerian Army headquarters: for the rank-by-rank scale and implementation notices.
• Your unit's pay or finance office: to confirm your rank, years of service and any allowances added to the base pay.
• Reported rank tables: Legit.ng and LEADERSHIP published the rank breakdowns. Use these only as a guide until an official circular confirms the figures.

4. State civil servants

State governments set their own minimum wages for state civil servants, and the figures vary widely. The following are reported as of 2026:

State	Minimum wage (₦/month)	Status
Imo	104,000	Reported as the highest, per Withinnigeria and Employsome
Ebonyi	90,000	Announced August 2025
Lagos	85,000	Approved October 2024, effective from November 2024
Rivers	85,000	From November 2024
Bayelsa	80,000	Approved November 2024; Nairametrics reports progress on full implementation and arrears
Kebbi	75,000	Commenced payment
Ondo	73,000	From November 2024
Kogi	72,500	From October 2024
Kano	71,000	From November 2024
Gombe	71,451.15	Full implementation ordered April 2026
Nasarawa	70,500	From December 2024

Sources: Nairametrics (30 April 2026 state review), Legit.ng, Withinnigeria and Employsome. State figures change often, so check your state's latest announcement.

Take-home pay can still fall short. Daily Trust reported that Kano civil servants said their monthly pay, including allowances, of about ₦90,000 did not cover school fees and living costs, and a teacher in Kano said the ₦70,000 minimum came to about ₦82,000 before deductions such as National Health Insurance.

Where to check state civil service pay

• Your state government's official announcements: most state governments publish minimum wage approvals through the governor's office or the State Ministry of Finance.
• State Head of Service or Office of the Head of the Civil Service: for state circulars on grades, steps and allowances.
• Your state's public service commission: for appointments, promotions and recruitment notices.
• State payroll or accountant-general's office: for pay slip questions and arrears.
• Local government councils: separate pay arrangements may apply to council staff, so confirm with your council's secretariat.

5. The pay demands

• Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (under the NLC): a letter dated 12 March 2026 demanded a new minimum wage of ₦154,000.
• NLC Lagos State Council: demanded ₦225,000 for Lagos State workers in May 2026.
• Federal Workers Forum: a letter dated 2 September 2026 asked for ₦300,000 at Level 1 Step 1 and up to ₦1.5 million at the top grade. This is a demand, not an approved change.

Where to check the pay demands

• Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council and the NLC: for the official position of federal and state unions on the minimum wage negotiations.
• Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment: for national minimum wage policy and negotiation updates.
• National Assembly: for bills and debates on the minimum wage.
• Treat letters and union demands as proposals: a demand becomes a change only when the government approves it and an official circular is issued.

6. Allowances

• Consolidated structures: the federal government approved increases of 25% to 35% for civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures, effective 1 January 2024.
• Peculiar allowance: a 40% peculiar allowance for federal civil servants has been reported as approved (BusinessDay). Check whether it applies to your grade.
• Other allowances: housing, transport and risk allowances depend on the agency, grade and any applicable circulars.

Where to check allowances

• NSIWC circulars: for consolidated structure increases and the peculiar allowance.
• Your agency's HR or payroll unit: to confirm which allowances apply to your grade, and whether they are included in your IPPIS record.
• Your state's accountant-general or finance ministry: for state allowance rules.

How to check your pay

• Compare your monthly pay slip with the official table for your salary structure and grade.
• Ask your payroll or human resources unit to confirm your grade, step and allowances.
• Keep copies of circulars and approval letters, and raise any unpaid adjustment with your union or staff association.

Federal civil service recruitment

The Federal Civil Service Commission runs its recruitment through the official portal at recruitment.fedcivilservice.gov.ng. Reports on whether the 2026/2027 exercise is open conflict, so check the portal for current vacancies and deadlines. Recruitment through the official portal is free. Do not pay anyone who offers to secure a placement.

Figures reflect public reports available in October 2026. Where sources disagree, the range is shown. This is general information, not financial advice.