The new salary structure, announced on Tuesday, will take effect on September 1 and increase the armed forces' annual wage bill from 660 billion naira to 924 billion naira. President Tinubu said the pay increase recognises the sacrifices made by military personnel and reaffirmed his administration's commitment to improving troop welfare while modernising the armed forces with better equipment and technology. Lawmakers welcome decisionSenator Abdulaziz Yar'Adua, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, described the salary increase as a timely morale booster that would strengthen the fighting spirit of troops confronting insecurity across the country. He urged the armed forces to respond with greater professionalism and closer cooperation between the Army, Navy and Air Force. Welfare and modernisationThe government said about 250,000 military personnel will benefit from the revised pay structure, which adds 264 billion naira to the annual military wage bill.