President Bola Tinubu has officially signed the Judicial Office Holders Salaries and Allowances Bill into law, a significant development in the nation’s legal system. The announcement was made by Senator Basheer Lado, the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, in Abuja on Tuesday.
The bill, approved by the National Assembly in June, grants a 300 percent salary increase for judicial officers at both federal and state levels. This legislative action follows the President’s transmission of an executive bill titled “A Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries, Allowances and Fringe Benefits of Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria and for Related Matters.”
Senator Lado highlighted that this move reflects President Tinubu’s dedication to prioritizing the welfare of Nigerian workers. He noted that the President had previously interrupted a Federal Executive Council meeting to assent to the National Minimum Wage Bill of N70,000.
The new Act updates the Certain Political, Public, and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Act, No.6, 2002, removing outdated provisions related to judicial officers. The revised legislation sets new salaries and allowances for judicial positions, ensuring that compensation reflects current economic realities.
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Among the notable features of the Act are revised salaries for top judicial positions. The Chief Justice of Nigeria will now earn an annual salary of N64 million, while the President of the Court of Appeal will receive N62.4 million. Justices of the Supreme Court will earn N61.4 million each. Heads of various courts, such as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, will receive a basic annual salary of N7.9 million.
Lado described the signing of the bill as a landmark achievement, underscoring President Tinubu’s commitment to improving the welfare of Nigeria’s workforce. He praised the President for his visionary leadership and emphasized that this decision enhances the integrity of the justice system while setting a new standard for leadership and worker compensation.
He also commended Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abass Tajudeen, and the 10th National Assembly for their role in advancing the welfare of Nigerians through this legislation.
Lado urged judicial officers to intensify their efforts to ensure timely justice, reinforcing the judiciary’s role as a crucial pillar for the common man’s access to justice.
