Nigerian Government Increases Duty Tour Allowances For Ministers, Permanent Secretaries Amid Ailing Economy

The new allowances were approved in a circular released on August 31 by Ekpo Nta, head of the National Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission.

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government has approved a rise in duty tour allowances (DTAs) for ministers, permanent secretaries, and civil workers at grade levels one through seventeen.

A duty tour is an official journey taken by a public servant.

The new allowances were approved in a circular released on August 31 by Ekpo Nta, head of the National Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission.

According to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the revised allowances went into effect on September 1.

Recall that Buhari In August, the president said there was a need for an urgent salary review in the federal civil service, owing to high inflation rate across the world.

The country’s inflation rate surged to 19.64 percent in July 2022, up from 18.60 percent in the previous month, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The circular reads: “The president of the federal republic of Nigeria has approved the upward review of duty tour allowances applicable to Permanent Secretary/Equivalent from N20,0000 to N70,000, and to minister/SGF/HCSF/Equivalent from N35,000 to N80,000,” the circular reads.

“All enquiries relating to this circular should be directed to the commission.”

A breakdown of the new DTA as contained in the circular is presented below:

• GL 01-04 and its equivalent – N10,000 per diem

• GL 05-06 and its equivalent – N15,000 per diem

• GL 07-10 and its equivalent – N17,500 per diem

• GL 12-13 and its equivalent – N20,000 per diem

• GL 14-15 and its equivalent – N25,000 per diem

• GL 16-17 and its equivalent – N37,500 per diem

• Permanent secretary/equivalent – N70,000 per diem

• Minister/SGF/HCSF/equivalent – N80,000 per diem