‘N5m Monthly For S’court Justice’ — Details Of Proposed Salaries For Judicial Officers
Adedokun Waliyu 
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu sent a bill proposing a new structure of salaries and allowances for judicial officers in the country.
The president’s letter titled: ‘A Bill for an Act to prescribe the salaries, allowances and fringe benefits of judicial office holders in Nigeria and for related matters’, was read on the floor of the green chamber by Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker.
The bill passed third reading in the green chamber on Wednesday. Simultaneously, the bill was presented to the senate.
In his letter to both chambers of the national assembly, the president said the bill seeks to end the “prolonged stagnation” of the remuneration of judicial officers, adding that it will improve their welfare.
A copy of the proposed remuneration of the judicial officers seen by TheCable shows the breakdown of the annual salaries of judicial officers in the country, including chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), justices of the supreme court, chief judge of the federal high court, president of the national industrial court, president of the court of appeal, judges of the federal high court, to mention a few.
In the proposal, the CJN is expected to earn an annual basic salary of N13,462,617.95, equivalent to N1,121,884.83 monthly. The proposal also includes the regular and non-regular allowances entitled to the CJN.
Monthly, the CJN is expected to earn a total package of N5,385,047, which includes basic salary and allowances.
The CJN is also entitled to N80,775,707 as severance gratuity to be paid “after successful completion of tenure”. The sum of N6,731,308 was proposed as the leave allowance, N142,500 for duty tour allowance per night, and $2,000 for estacode per night.
In the proposal, a justice of the supreme court will earn the sum of N9,913,394.22 as an annual basic salary, equivalent to N826,116 monthly.
Monthly, a justice will receive the sum of N5,046,308.
The justice is also entitled to the sum of N29,740,182 as severance gratuity to be paid “after successful completion of tenure”. The sum of N4,956,697 was proposed as the leave allowance for the CJN, N100,000 for duty tour allowance per night, and $1,300 for estacode per night.
The president of the court of appeal is expected to earn the sum of N9,913,394.22 as an annual basic salary, which is equivalent to N826,116.19 monthly. The president is also entitled to some allowances. Monthly, the total package is N5,211,541.
The appellate court president is also entitled to N29,740,182.66 as severance gratuity to be paid “after successful completion of tenure”. N4,956,697.11 was proposed as the leave allowance, N100,000 for duty tour allowance per night, and $1,300 for estacode per night.
In the proposal, the chief judge of the federal high court is in the same salary category as the president of the national industrial court; chief judge of FCT high court; grand kadi of FCT sharia court of appeal; president of the FCT customary court of appeal; chief judge of state high court; grand kadi of state sharia court of appeal and president of the state customary court of appeal.
The chief judge is expected to earn an annual basic salary of N7,985,711, equivalent to N665,475 monthly. The monthly total package is N4,192,597.
Other entitlements include N23,957,134.74 for severance gratuity, N85,500 as duty tour allowance per night, $1,100 for estacode per night, and
N31,942,846.72 as motor vehicle loan to be repaid before expiration of tenure.
In the proposal, judges of the federal high court, national industrial court, FCT high court, FCT customary court of appeal, state high court, state customary court of appeal, kadis FCT sharia court of appeal, and kadis state sharia court of appeal, belong to the same salary structure.
The judges of the aforementioned courts are expected to earn an annual basic salary of N7,222,569, equivalent to N601,880 monthly. The monthly total package is N3,671,272.84.
Other entitlements include N21,677,708 for severance gratuity, N57,000 as duty tour allowance per night, $600 for estacode per night, and N28,890.277 as motor vehicle loan to be repaid before expiration of tenure.
