Young men from Nigeria's Southeast are reconsidering military enlistment following the federal government's approval of a 30 to 80 percent salary increase for Nigerian Armed Forces personnel, effective September 1, 2026. The wage bill for the forces has risen from N660 billion to N924 billion annually. Alongside the pay rise, the government plans to recruit 28,000 new personnel and establish four additional military divisions. Previously, interest among Southeast youths in military careers had been low.
In Enugu, some expressed renewed interest due to improved remuneration. Ebubeagu Okoye, a used shoe seller, said he now wants to join, citing patriotism and rising unemployment as factors. He noted that competition would be high, given widespread joblessness. Stephen Ezike, who hawks plastic buckets, remains unconvinced. He cited his uncle's experience—a retired Nigerian Army officer who now works as a security guard at a private university along Enugu-Abakaliki Road—and said the man struggled to build a house or adequately educate his children despite years of service.
Mrs Dorothy Ekwueme supports her son joining but fears for his safety, noting that even senior officers like two Major Generals she knows are not spared from danger. A retired Assistant Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr Edwin Ugwuja, attributed past reluctance among Southeast youths to poor pay and the region's strong apprenticeship culture, which allows young people to become self-employed quickly. He believes the salary increase will boost morale and recruitment, helping combat insecurity. Dr Obi Eze, an industrial psychologist, urged sensitisation campaigns to counter negative perceptions rooted in memories of the Biafran War and wartime literature.
The same economic incentives drawing some Southeast youths to the military are weighed against lived family experiences of hardship after service. For those whose relatives served but still struggle, higher pay alone does not erase doubts about long-term security or survival.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
