President Bola Tinubu marked his 74th birthday on Sunday March 29, 2026 not with a lavish celebration but with what he described as a personal act of duty pledging every naira of salary he has earned since assuming office on May 29, 2023 to a newly established Armed Forces Welfare Fund.
The President announced the establishment of the dedicated welfare fund in a personally signed statement on Sunday, directing the Accountant-General of the Federation to immediately create a special account for the initiative. “On this my 74th birthday, I celebrate the valiant men and women of our Armed Forces. Today, I have directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to establish a special account for a fund dedicated to those who serve, those wounded in the line of duty, and the families of those who have paid the ultimate price,” he stated.
“As a personal commitment, all my salaries since assuming office will be paid into this account as seed funding, irrespective of existing insurance and welfare schemes for members of our armed forces,” he said.
According to the most recent publicly available data from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Tinubu’s monthly salary stands at N1,171,568.20 translating to an annual salary of N14,058,820.
Over the approximately 34 months he has been in office since May 2023, his cumulative salary would amount to roughly N39.8 million.
The fund is designed to directly address gaps in military welfare that have persisted despite existing insurance and support schemes. “This fund will directly support those who have lost their limbs, and the widows, widowers, and children of those who laid down their lives in service to our dear country,” Tinubu stated.
The President called on governors, members of the National Assembly, the private sector and Nigerians to support the initiative, describing care for soldiers and their families as a national obligation rather than an act of charity. “We must never forget those who stand in harm’s way for our peace, nor the sacrifices borne by their families. This is not charity. It is duty. And we will fulfil it,” he said.
The announcement was made after Islamic leaders led special prayers at the National Mosque in Abuja to mark the president’s birthday. Tinubu opted for a deliberately low-key birthday observance, citing the prevailing national mood and ongoing economic challenges, a reflection, aides said, of a president conscious that millions of Nigerians are navigating genuine hardship.
The timing of the fund comes as Nigeria’s military is simultaneously fighting ISWAP and Boko Haram in Borno and Yobe, confronting banditry across the North-West and North-Central zones, and integrating American intelligence and drone support following the US-Nigeria counterterrorism partnership activated in February 2026.
Details of the special account, including the account number and how Nigerians can contribute, are to be released by the Accountant-General’s office in due course.