Nigerians need to know the salary structure of the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 2024. This article will show you the past, current, and future salaries and allowances he receives from the Nigerian government.
Roles of The Chief Justice of Nigeria
The Chief Justice has three primary roles:
- Acting as President of the Court Of Appeal, supervising and directing activities of courts below him.
- Presiding over meetings with other members of the court to set rules for practice and procedure.
- Representing their country on an official visit or at a conference outside Nigeria.
The position was created by a constitutional amendment that took effect on October 1, 1979. The Nigerian Constitution provides a salary structure for the CJN and other judges of courts established under section 229(1).
Section 229 (a) states that “the amount payable to each judge is determined by law”. The determination must be made no later than six months after general elections have been held at which a President takes office or within 24 months before this election. In both instances, it is necessary to have more than one session when the National Assembly first meets, and March 31 preceding an Ordinary Elections which has not been adjourned for more periods beyond 30 days. Each year’s pay includes any increase from the previous year.
In general, a Supreme Court Judge has four official residences, and being a CJN means automatically getting access to the mansions. A retired CJN also receives a pension, determined by how long they have served on active duty or what retirement age was reached if it were early retirement. They are given free health service at all national hospitals across Nigeria, including their private clinics called “CJ Nite Clinic,” located in most states across Nigeria. You see, being a CJN is not that bad after all!
To apply for the position of CJN, you must have a Law Degree from a recognized university and be at least 40 years old with no less than 15 years of experience as a judge or lawyer. You also need to meet specific requirements regarding your character before applying for the job.
What is the Current CJN’s Salary Structure in 2024 Compared to the Past?
In 2024, the salary structure for CJN hasn’t changed significantly since 2017. The salary structure for CJN is as follows:
2017 = N300,000.00 monthly x 12 months = N3,600,000.00 annually
2018-2019 = N329,900.00 monthly x 12 months = N3,960,000 plus yearly
2020 – 2024 = N337,800.00 monthly X 12months = N4,134,000.00 annually.
There has been no increase in this year’s Salary Structure, and according to sources working closely with those involved in making these decisions, they believe it will remain unchanged until the next 2 or 3 years from now. However, we can’t tell due to all things going on currently regarding the elections, etc.
Salary Structure of Nigerian Chief Justice (2024) – Full breakdown
The Chief Justice of Nigeria is the highest judicial officer in Nigeria. They are also responsible for setting court policy and procedure and supervising all laws at both federal and state levels. Judges serve an initial appointment until they reach age 65 or retire from office, whichever comes first. Promotions to Senior Status (Judge) after 15 years of service, otherwise known as supernumerary judges, can be made by majority votes amongst existing Supreme Court Justices with whom promotions were debated. It occurs every two years unless otherwise approved by Senate President or his nominee following a recommendation from National Judicial Council (NJC). Currently, CJ salary structure will remain pegged on that set out below:
The Chief Justice of Nigeria earns N279,497 as a basic salary monthly. The take-home pay comes to N486,765 after he enjoys all these allowances, including an allowance for a personal assistant who earns between N56,000 and N70,000 per month. It also includes a vehicle allowance between N200,000 and N250,000 per month.
He is also entitled to an office rent allowance between N125,000.00 and N150,000.00 monthly. It depends on the location of his official residence;
- Annual house maintenance allowance between N40,000.00 and N50,000.00 monthly;
- A domestic staff allowance of between N25,000.00 and N30,000.00 monthly per head depending on the number of household members he has to maintain;
- Annual utility bill/household charges allowance within the range of N15,000 to N20,000 monthly for water and electricity bills; and
- Office furniture allowance, ranging from N50,000 to N75,000 per annum depending on the number of rooms furnished in his official residence.
In addition to all these allowances, he is entitled to an annual sitting allowance of between N300,000 and N350,000. The latter depends on the location of his official residence within Lagos or Abuja as the case may be;
- House upkeep allowance from between N100,000.00 and N150,000.00 monthly depending on the location of official residence;
- Annual vacation allowance between N200,000 and N250,000 per annum within the jurisdictions, and he is entitled to travel with his family;
- Medical-Healthcare Benefits Package for CJN and Family members;
- Annual Leave with full pay after service of ten years as a Supreme Court Judge in 2024. It applies to all judges, including those serving currently at the apex court, before this new policy was effected by President Buhari upon his election into office on May 29, 2019;
- Full Pension after service of 25 years as a Supreme Court Justice in 2024. It applies to all judges, including those serving currently at the apex court, before this new policy was effected by President Buhari upon his election into office on May 29, 2019;
- Free Accommodation for retired Justices, Judges, and others who served at the Supreme Court or Federal High Courts anywhere within Nigeria (Except Abuja).
New Chief Justice of Nigeria Salary Structure in the coming years should be nothing less than N500,000 per month payable monthly with effect from January 2023 when elected leaders take over power across the board without any discrimination whatsoever.
As you can see, the Nigerian government has a lucrative salary schedule for its judiciary, which applies to all judges across courts, including the Supreme Court and High Courts. It gives us confidence that they will listen to the cases justly and give their verdicts without fear or favor.
