The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has announced an increase in the daily feeding allowance for inmates, with the 2025 budget set to reflect this adjustment. According to Stephen Abene, spokesperson for the Nasarawa State NCoS Command, the allowance per inmate will rise from ₦750 to ₦1,150—a government-sanctioned effort to address welfare and nutritional concerns.
“The government recently approved ₦1,150 for feeding per inmate, up from ₦750, which will be captured in the 2025 budget. This upward review is to meet the current economic reality,” Abene stated on Tuesday.
Attention to inmate welfare intensified following a December 2023 statement by NCoS Controller General Haliru Nababa, who highlighted that the food allowance for each inmate was ₦750, while the daily allocation for each of the 900 service dogs was ₦800.
In August 2024, a viral video from the Afokang Custodial Centre in Calabar exposed substandard meal conditions for inmates, prompting widespread criticism. The incident led the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to order an investigation. The NCoS clarified that the video did not represent general conditions across facilities but assured the public that an investigation was underway.
Concerns over inmate nutrition resurfaced in September 2024, following a report that 12 inmates had died at the Keffi Medium Security Custodial Centre in Nasarawa State due to an illness suspected to be linked to inadequate nutrition. The increased allowance aims to address such issues and improve overall conditions within correctional facilities.
