₦airaland Forum

The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has earmarked N14.83 billion in its 2026 budget proposal to feed an estimated 91,100 inmates nationwide, amid growing pressure on custodial facilities driven largely by a high population of awaiting trial inmates.

Controller-General of the Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed this on Wednesday while presenting the agency’s 2025 budget performance and 2026 estimates before the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions in Abuja.

According to Nwakuche, the feeding provision is based on a daily rate of N1,125 per inmate and forms part of a proposed N50.40 billion recurrent overhead expenditure in the 2026 fiscal year.

He said the pressure on feeding resources reflects the current inmate population profile, noting that awaiting trial inmates make up 64 per cent of the total custodial population across the country.

He said as of February 9, 2026, the total number of inmates stood at 80,812, out of which 51,955 were awaiting trial, 24,913 were convicted inmates, while 3,850 fell under other detention categories.

The Controller-General stressed that the Service is mandated to provide adequate nutrition to inmates in line with the United Nations Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Offenders, describing inmate feeding as a critical but resource-intensive obligation.

Reviewing the 2025 budget performance, Nwakuche revealed that the Service received a total appropriation of N184.63 billion. Of this, N27.28 billion, representing 71.7 per cent of released overhead funds was spent on inmate feeding nationwide, while outstanding liabilities for food rations stood at N10.75 billion.

He added that recurrent overhead releases for 2025 stood at 73.7 per cent, with the final tranche for October released in December.

He said personnel costs in 2025 amounted to N124.31 billion, of which N112.68 billion, representing 90.6 per cent, was released and fully utilised for salaries, pensions and health insurance contributions under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

He said operational expenses gulped N6.49 billion, covering staff training, fueling of operational vehicles for court duties, electricity supply, security services and facility maintenance.

He said capital expenditure recorded the weakest implementation, as only N3.22 billion out of the N14.50 billion appropriated—representing 22.2 per cent—was released, leaving N11.27 billion unreleased for projects nationwide.

Nwakuche explained that capital funding was essential for constructing and rehabilitating custodial centres, procuring operational vehicles, arms and security equipment, deploying ICT systems, capturing inmate biometrics and supporting agricultural activities in prison farm centres.

For 2026, the Controller-General presented a total budget proposal of N198.85 billion, covering personnel costs, inmate feeding, recurrent overheads, operations and capital expenditure for both custodial and non-custodial services.

Out of this, N138.30 billion was proposed for personnel costs to cater for a projected staff strength of 37,541 operating under four salary structures.

He further appealed for an additional N90.38 billion to significantly boost capital funding, raising the total capital allocation to about N100.50 billion in order to address longstanding infrastructure deficits and capacity gaps across correctional facilities.

Nwakuche also requested a dedicated provision of N37.99 billion to support the effective implementation of non-custodial measures across the 774 local government areas of the country.

Earlier, chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s correctional system, citing chronic underfunding, aging infrastructure and rising operational demands such as inmate feeding.

Ogah described the Nigeria Correctional Service as central to national security but lamented what he termed inadequate budgetary attention, noting that many custodial centres were built over a century ago and have deteriorated significantly.

“Our core duty here today is the budget defence of the 2026 Appropriation as presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said, assuring that the committee would closely examine both the Service’s 2025 performance and its funding needs for 2026.

The lawmaker urged the President to assent to the Correctional Service Trust Fund Bill already passed by the National Assembly, saying it would ease pressure on federal facilities by empowering states to establish correctional centres.

He also highlighted efforts to expand educational access for inmates, revealing that about 10 study centres of the National Open University of Nigeria have been established within custodial facilities nationwide, including one at the Abakaliki Correctional Centre offering free programmes to inmates.

While commending correctional officers for sustaining operations under difficult conditions, Ogah said the committee would conclude deliberations on the 2026 budget after a thorough review of the Service’s submissions.

Source: https://dailytrust.com/n14-83bn-earmarked-to-feed-over-91000-prison-inmates-in-2026

Na wa for this country oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

What will the inmates give in return?

You can't keep that number of people idle for years, why not engage them in productive ventures for them to earn what they eat. Farm, construction or anything productive.

Na mumu people dey rule us I swear
And some disgusting set of people are OK with this

If properly utilized it is ok .................................................................

Chai see money.
This one eyes don the red.
The greedy men are salivating how they will do justice to the money.
No accountability, no discipline.
Watery beans

I think maybe I should relocate to prison ooooo, I'm outside doing work with hungry why not me going to prison and be eating free government food? Seun.....

fmlala:
If properly utilized it is ok .................................................................

Ok in your under developed village
How much is in your account right now?

Your concern should be the awaiting inmates who have been there for so long.
If you've been opportune to reside outside the shores of Nigeria, I mean, in saner climes, you would understand that Nigeria is a jungle.

Why keep someone in ATM and forget about him completely? The judiciary should step up and ensure that cases are brought to a speedy and logical conclusions.

YosemiteDan:
Na wa for this country oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

lolsssssssssssssssss

zinaunreal:
Na mumu people dey rule us I swear
And some disgusting set of people are OK with this

oya cry broooooooooooo

Somebody do the math...
This is huge, but if we calculate now, one will be disappointed

Even people wey dey outside never bellefull

14,800,000,000÷91,000÷365
=445.58 per day for one inmate.

That's less than ₦150 per meal.

Damn too poor.

How can someone survive with 1,125 naira feeding allowance daily in Nigeria of today?
Our prisons are similar to grave
And remember that part of this money will be looted oo

That is about N450 a day for each prisoner if they are not fed as a group but individually. Does it mean a prison of a thousand people will spend over N450k daily for feeding

500 Naira a day to feed an inmate.
Think million times before before you act.

Corruption in Nigeria is just too much. I honestly think the country needs a complete overhaul — nuking it won't be a bad idea — while innocent Nigerians are protected.

14b for watery beans and water soup.. Interesting

That is a day for a prisoner is 452.68620268620 naira

Probably ewa,200, ewedu 200 and pepper 🌶️ 50 naira

That's not enough o, because it amounts to N440 per inmate per day if their math is done properly. At least make it N600 per day, that's N300 for two shapeless meals in a day. Then make use of the workforce in the prison

This is an average of N220 per meal for each inmate for 2026.
Quite poor.

That’s less than N500 a day per inmate.

That's about 500 naira or less to a prisoner in a day. Abeg no go commit offence enter prison oh...this is suffering pro max.

Some people think the amount is too much, do the calculation

Q

adenigga:
Source: https://dailytrust.com/n14-83bn-earmarked-to-feed-over-91000-prison-inmates-in-2026

I wonder how OBJ, once an inmate, did not see it fit to reform the prisons.

The numbers awaiting trials are simply excessive and inexcusable, and their feeding allowance lamentable.

Wicked thieves.........................................
What a country

nathan77:
I think maybe I should relocate to prison ooooo, I'm outside doing work with hungry why not me going to prison and be eating free government food? Seun.....

Watery beans and garri? Sorry, but I'd rather starve and be free. By the way, how does a small serving of watery beans and garri amount to 1.2k?

For water water beans,? Nija my country, actual amount that will get to the caterers will not be up to quarter of that amount all over the country

Yet they will be served stony, watery, half done beans and salty soups..!