SERAP Drags RMAFC To Court Over Controversial Politicians’ Pay Rise

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to court over its proposal to raise the salaries of Nigeria’s top political and public office holders, including the President, Vice President, governors, deputies, and lawmakers.

RMAFC had last month described the current pay of these officials as “paltry,” a remark that triggered widespread outrage among citizens already battling economic hardship.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja (FHC/ABJ/CS/1834/2025), SERAP is asking the court to declare the proposed pay rise unlawful, unconstitutional, and inconsistent with the rule of law, arguing that it violates both the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the RMAFC Act.

The group is seeking an injunction to stop RMAFC and its agents from taking any steps toward implementing the salary increase. Instead, SERAP wants the court to compel the commission to review salaries and allowances of political office holders downward in line with Nigeria’s harsh economic realities.

According to SERAP, restraining the commission from arbitrarily inflating politicians’ pay would protect legitimate public interest. The organisation insists that RMAFC’s constitutional mandate does not give it blanket authority to hike salaries without consideration for law, fairness, or economic conditions.

“Reviewing downward the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors, deputies, and lawmakers would be fully consistent with the Nigerian Constitution, the country’s international human rights obligations, and the prevailing economic challenges,” SERAP argued.

The case is now set to test the scope of RMAFC’s powers and could decide whether politicians enjoy a controversial pay rise at a time when ordinary Nigerians are struggling with inflation and a declining standard of living.

The suit was filed on behalf of SERAP by lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Oni, and Andrew Nwankwo, who maintained that public interest and citizens’ fundamental rights must take precedence over political office holders’ benefits.