Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has initiated a lawsuit against the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to prevent the proposed salary increase for Nigeria’s highest political office holders.
The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenges the legality of the planned pay hike for the president, vice-president, state governors, their deputies, and all federal and state lawmakers.
RMAFC had previously announced its intention to raise the salaries of these officials, claiming their current pay is “paltry.” SERAP, however, argued that such an increase is illegal and violates the Nigerian Constitution and the RMAFC Act.
The organisation is seeking a court declaration that the proposed salary hike is “unlawful, unconstitutional and inconsistent with the rule of law.”
In its legal arguments, SERAP is asking the court to issue an order stopping RMAFC from taking any further steps to increase the salaries.
The group also requests a directive for RMAFC to instead review salaries downward, aligning them with the current economic conditions of the country.
SERAP maintains that RMAFC’s constitutional and statutory powers do not grant it the unrestrained authority to increase the salaries of these officials.
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The organisation argues that halting the pay raise would serve the public interest, particularly given the widespread poverty in the country and the failure of many state governments to pay civil servants’ salaries and pensions.
The suit contends that RMAFC’s exercise of its mandate should prioritise the interests of the vulnerable population over those of political office holders.
The lawsuit, with the number FHC/ABJ/CS/1834/2025, has not yet been scheduled for a hearing. SERAP’s legal action follows its previous appeals to the government to suspend the planned salary increase.
