₦airaland Forum

Rufai reveals monthly salaries of Nigerian ambassadors

A popular TV personality, Oseni Rufai, has revealed the monthly salaries of Nigerian ambassadors.

This is following the list of Ambassadorial nominees forwarded to the national assembly by President Bola Tinubu on Saturday.

Tinubu forwarded the names of 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, following the recent submission of an initial three nominees.

The list included former Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, Reno Omokri, former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, among others.

Rufai explained that the salary of a Nigerian ambassador, as a senior Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is governed by the Consolidated Diplomatic, Consular and Foreign Service Cadre Salary Structure, CONPSS, in the Nigerian public service.

Ambassadors typically fall into the highest grade levels (GL 17 or equivalent), with additional allowances for overseas postings.

Based on available data from government budget allocations, salary surveys, and reports on foreign service personnel costs, the basic salary is modest by international standards but is supplemented by substantial allowances.

Exact figures can vary by posting location, experience, and currency fluctuations (as of November 2025, 1 USD is about 1,650 NGN).

The Arise TV journalist explained that the “Basic salary of an ambassador includes a monthly basic pay of approximately N800,000 to N1,200,000 (about $485–$727 USD).

He said that this is drawn from the CONPSS scale for top-tier diplomatic officers, adding that entry-level foreign service officers start at around N300,000–N500,000 monthly, but ambassadors, being at the pinnacle of the career ladder, command the upper end.

“Annual Basic Salary: N9.6 million to N14.4 million (about $5,818–$8,727 USD).

“These figures align with general public sector pay for Grade Level 17 officers, adjusted for inflation and the 2025 minimum wage increase to N70,000.

“However, basic pay alone does not reflect total compensation, as diplomats receive significant extras to cover living costs abroad.

Key Allowances and Total Compensation Nigerian ambassadors posted overseas receive a package designed to offset high living expenses, hardship, and representational duties.

“Total monthly take-home pay often exceeds N2–5 million ($1,212–$3,030 USD), depending on the host country…”

HgAkpobomeEr:
Total compensation, including allowances, is quite reasonable.

osuofia2:
The kick backs surpassed all those lists. No be Nigeria again

bigpicture001:
Which kickbacks.. do they sign contract.. u suppose say stipend tokens given by visiting politicians and musicians..

Not kick backs

bigpicture001:
Which kickbacks.. do they sign contract.. u suppose say stipend tokens given by visiting politicians and musicians..

Not kick backs

osuofia2:
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Lol, you have know idea what goes on in the diplomatic community, Visa fees, allocation to the consulate, some criminal's among them issues diplomatic bags to undeserving people and such bags can't be opened and searched in any airport. So make you calm down, if you know know wetin de sup.
You think a former governor will be interested in a paltry sum of 1500 dollar salary

BlackViper:
By Nigerian standards. By global standards it's rather pitiful

SmartPolician:
Okay, he said it's their basic salary because I was about saying the amount is peanut. If you are the Nigerian ambassador in US and earn $3k per month, that's $36k per annum. Most established American companies pay staff between $80k and $300k per annum. Power without financial empowerment is totally useless!

BlackViper:
By Nigerian standards. By global standards it's rather pitiful

SmartPolician:
Okay, he said it's their basic salary because I was about saying the amount is peanut. If you are the Nigerian ambassador in US and earn $3k per month, that's $36k per annum. Most established American companies pay staff between $80k and $300k per annum. Power without financial empowerment is totally useless!

BangaRice:
power is for service and not for financial empowerment.
That idea is stupid at best sir.