A call has been directed at the federal government to implement a fairer distribution of wealth nationwide to address the escalating poverty levels.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), a faith-driven human rights organization, voiced this appeal through its executive director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, just yesterday.
MURIC expressed deep concern over the widening gap between the impoverished working class, who suffer from inadequate wages, and the political elite, who enjoy disproportionately high compensation.
“Discontent is mounting among Nigeria’s labor force. For instance, university lecturers, represented by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have threatened industrial action.
“Similarly, resident doctors have issued strike notices, while nurses recently concluded a warning strike as of Monday, 15th September 2025.
“Amid these troubling socio-economic conditions, reports suggest the Federal Government is contemplating salary hikes for politicians.
“Beyond the swelling ranks of unemployed graduates, the plight of the working population remains dire.
Their earnings are insufficient to meet basic living costs.
Prices in the markets, which soared over a year ago, continue to escalate dramatically, with inflation reaching 21.88% as of July 2025.
“Widespread hunger and deprivation afflict the nation. The northern regions are in crisis, while the southern areas struggle to cope. Those at the lowest economic levels are suffocating under the weight of poverty.
“While we acknowledge the Federal Government’s ongoing economic reforms, we urge an urgent overhaul of how national resources are shared.”
MURIC insists that only a fair and balanced adjustment of salaries between workers and politicians can halt the current downward spiral and foster socio-economic fairness.
“We further urge the government to reconsider plans to raise politicians’ pay, especially when a senator reportedly earns as much as N21 million monthly, in stark contrast to a university professor’s modest N633,333 monthly salary.
“This disparity has triggered a significant brain drain in academia. For example, 239 top-tier lecturers have left the University of Lagos (Unilag) over the past seven years due to inadequate remuneration.”
“Similarly, medical professionals are emigrating in large numbers. Approximately 50 doctors depart Nigeria every week, and over 15,000 nurses left the country in 2024 alone.”
