Tinubu approves lifetime salary for top-ranking retirees

Senior officers retiring from Nigeria’s security and paramilitary services will now receive lifetime salaries following a policy approved by President Bola Tinubu.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Thursday during the 2025 Ministerial Retreat, highlighting the move as a major boost to officer welfare. The policy applies to retirees from the rank of Deputy Controller, Comptroller, or Commandant-General and above.

A statement issued by DCF PO Abraham, spokesperson of the Federal Fire Service, confirmed the announcement and conveyed Tunji-Ojo’s gratitude to the President.

“The minister expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu for his unwavering support, affirming that all agencies under the Ministry of Interior are reaping the benefits of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” the statement read.

Tunji-Ojo revealed that more than 50,000 officers had been promoted over the last two years after clearing a longstanding backlog of promotions.

“We have successfully cleared the long-standing backlog of promotions,” he said, adding that future career advancement would now depend on a system anchored on capacity and performance.

The minister also announced the development of new training manuals and the construction of a state-of-the-art Fire Academy, designed to match world-class institutions such as the Arizona Fire Academy.

Underscoring the importance of mental health in the workplace, Tunji-Ojo assured officers of the ministry’s continued support and urged the Federal Fire Service to form strategic partnerships with the private sector to modernize firefighting operations, upgrade infrastructure, and improve service delivery nationwide.