Senator Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South, has admitted that he receives ₦21 million monthly as a “running cost” for his office, despite the ongoing economic struggles facing Nigerians.
In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, Senator Sumaila revealed that his official salary as a senator is less than ₦1 million per month, which drops to around ₦600,000 after tax deductions. However, he disclosed that each senator is allocated ₦21 million monthly for the cost of running their office.
This admission comes in the wake of accusations by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who criticized federal lawmakers for self-enrichment through inflated salaries and allowances—a claim that the Senate has denied. The revelation has sparked public outrage and intensified scrutiny of lawmakers’ compensation, particularly given the official figures provided by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
According to the RMAFC, a senator’s monthly salary and allowances should total ₦1,063,860, including a basic salary of ₦168,866 and various allowances for personal and office upkeep. The significant discrepancy between the official figures and the actual running costs revealed by Senator Sumaila has fueled debates about the fairness and transparency of lawmakers’ remuneration in Nigeria.