Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports and representative of Kano South under the NNPP, has disclosed that he earns ₦21 million in monthly allowances, in addition to a salary of less than ₦1 million.
His revelation comes amidst growing controversy over the actual earnings of federal lawmakers in Nigeria.
Speaking to the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday, Senator Kawu stated, “My monthly salary is less than ₦1 million. After deductions, the figure comes down to a little over ₦600,000.”
However, he added, “Given the increase effected, in the Senate, each Senator gets ₦21 million every month as running cost.”
This disclosure contradicts recent statements made by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The RMAFC, which is responsible for setting the salaries and allowances of public servants, claimed on Tuesday that each member of the Senate receives a total monthly salary and allowances of ₦1,063,860.00.
The Commission provided a detailed breakdown of this amount, which includes various allowances such as a basic salary of ₦168,866.70, motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance of ₦126,650, and a constituency allowance of ₦422,166.66, among others.
RMAFC Chairman, Muhammed Bello Shehu, defended the Commission’s figures, stating that “some allowances are regular while others are non-regular. Regular allowances are paid regularly with a basic salary while non-regular allowances are paid as of when due.”
He further explained that furniture and severance gratuities, as well as vehicle allowances, are paid once per tenure and are optional, requiring repayment before the end of the term.
Senator Kawu’s statement also follows former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent criticism of the National Assembly. Obasanjo accused lawmakers of setting their own “bogus” salaries and allowances, which he argued is both illegal and immoral.
“You give yourselves all sorts of things, and you know it is not right. It is immoral. You are doing it, the Senate is doing it, and you are beating your chests about it,” Obasanjo said during a meeting with members of the House of Representatives in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Despite RMAFC’s official stance, Senator Kawu’s admission aligns with previous disclosures by other lawmakers.
Notably, Senator Shehu Sani, who served in the 8th Senate, had earlier revealed that each Senator received ₦13.5 million monthly as running costs, alongside a salary of ₦750,000, during his tenure.
Senator Kawu’s comments have reignited debates over the transparency of lawmakers’ earnings in Nigeria, with many questioning the disparity between official figures and the actual amounts received.
The RMAFC, while maintaining its position, has urged Nigerians to consult the official remuneration packages available on its website to avoid misinformation.
In response to these revelations, the Commission reiterated its limited constitutional powers to enforce compliance with the official remuneration package, a gap it says the National Assembly is working to address.