Following over a decade of salary stagnation, the Nigerian judicial system took matters into its hands on Friday 15 July, 2022 and ordered an upward review of pay in the third arm of government.
The National Industrial Court (NIC), Abuja took the step in a judgment passed Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osagie in a matter brough before the NIC by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr. Sebastian Hon.
In passing the verdict the NIC noted that the salaries of judges and justices have been stagnated for over 14 years despite the increased workload on judicial officers in the period.
Justice Obaseki-Osagie stated: “There is no doubt that from evidence adduced before this court that salaries payable to judges as well as their conditions of service have been greatly altered to their disadvantage. Judicial officers are daily impoverished by the devaluation of the Naira. They have suffered financial hardship and embarrassment owing to their poor pay. It is a shame to the country. Inspite of this, our judges have continued to carry out their statutory duties. Justices are themselves victims of a great injustice. What an irony.”
She held that judges in the country have the right to have their salaries reviewed upwards, periodically, adding that the NIC, being the court saddled with labour and employment related matters, had the constitutional power to compel the Federal Government and its agencies to review upward the pay of judicial officers.
The court ordered an increase of the salary of the Chief Justice of Nigeria to N10 million, while that of justices of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal was increased to N9 million.
Also the court increased the salaries of Court of Appeal Justices, Chief Judges, President of the Industrial Court, Grand Khadis and President of Customary Courts to N8 million
Other judges should now be paid a monthly salary of N7 million, the court ordered.
The court directed that the order should be served on the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN)
It awarded N1.5 million cost against RMAFC, the AGF and the National Assembly, all defendants in the suit.
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