The PUNCH has conducted an investigation revealing that the incoming lawmakers’ salaries and allowances in Nigeria may cost the country approximately N49bn. This amount covers the salaries and allowances of state and federal lawmakers. The data collated was obtained from the website of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission.

The national level will spend N32.60bn, while the state level will spend N16.32bn. The basic annual salary of the President of the Senate is N2.48m per year (about N9.94m in four years), and that of the Deputy President is N2.31m annually (about N9.24m in four years). However, the total allowances are higher than reported, as the amount for some allowances was not disclosed.

Out of 19 allowances assigned to the Senate President and his deputy, only five were assigned specific figures. The disclosed allowances include constituency allowance (250% of the basic annual salary), duty tour allowance (N50,000 per night), Estacode ($1,300 per night), Recess (10% of the basic annual salary), and severance gratuity (300% of the basic annual salary).

The Senate President’s allowance will cost about N33.29m, including annual N6.21m for constituency allowance, annual N248,424.25 for recess, and N7.45m for severance gratuity paid at the end of the tenure. The Deputy Senate President’s allowance will cost about N30.94m, including annual N5.77m for constituency allowance, annual N230,916.70 for recess, and N6.93m for severance gratuity.

Other senators receive N2.03m as their basic annual salary (a total of N8.11m in four years) and a total of N72,137,440 each as allowances. The salaries of the 107 senators will cost N867.3m, while their allowances will cost N7.72bn.

In the section for the salaries and allowances of other senators, only 15 of the 20 allowances mentioned were disclosed. The Speaker of the House receives an annual salary of N2.48m (about N9.91m in four years), while the Deputy Speaker receives N2.29m (about N9.15m).

The Speaker’s allowance is about N18.33m, including an annual N2.48m for constituency allowance, an annual N247,711 for recess, and N7.43m for severance gratuity. The deputy speaker’s allowance is pegged at about N17.16m, including annual N2.29m for constituency allowance, N288,703 for recess, and N6.86m for severance gratuity.

Other members of the House of Representatives receive N1.99m as their basic annual salary, a total of N7.94m in four years or N58.76m each as allowances. The salaries of the 358 House of Representatives members will cost N2.84bn, while their allowances are estimated at N21.04bn.

The Speaker of a state assembly will receive an annual basic salary of N1.64m (N6.56m in four years), while the Deputy Speaker gets N1.45m (N5.8m in four years). In total, the 36 speakers will receive about N59.04m as annual basic salary or N236.16m in four years, while the deputies will receive about N52.1m as annual basic salary or N208.40m in four years.

In total, the basic allowances for the 36 speakers and their deputies will cost the nation N1.51bn.

There are 784 members in the 36 state Houses of Assembly each of whom is entitled to N1.34m annual salary or N5.34m in four years and an allowance of N12.97m.

In total, the 784 members cost their states about N4.19bn in salary and N10.17bn in allowance.