President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the creation of a special fund to support Nigerian troops, injured service members, and families of fallen soldiers, while pledging to donate his entire salary to the initiative.
The directive, issued on Sunday to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, coincided with the president’s 74th birthday and was framed as a gesture of solidarity with members of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Tinubu said the fund would cater to those wounded in active service and dependents of personnel who died in the line of duty.
In a statement marking the occasion, the president described the move as both symbolic and practical, emphasizing the need to strengthen morale among troops engaged in security operations across the country. He noted that his personal earnings since assuming office would serve as seed funding for the initiative, regardless of existing insurance or welfare schemes available to military personnel.
Tinubu also called on state governors, lawmakers, private sector leaders, and citizens to contribute to the fund once operational details are released. According to him, national support for the military should be seen not as charity but as a civic obligation, given the risks undertaken by service members to maintain peace and stability.
The announcement comes amid ongoing security challenges in parts of Nigeria, where military personnel continue to confront insurgency, banditry, and other threats. Analysts say the success of the initiative will depend on transparency, sustained funding, and effective disbursement mechanisms.
