FG Set To Raise Prisoners’ Daily Feeding Allowance To ₦3,000

The Federal Government is considering a significant increase in the daily feeding allowance for inmates in correctional centres nationwide, raising it from ₦750 to ₦3,000 following recommendations from an independent investigative panel that examined allegations of corruption and human rights violations within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS).

According to findings contained in the panel’s final report submitted to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on June 3, 2026, the proposed adjustment is part of a broader reform aimed at improving inmate welfare and addressing long-standing challenges in the country’s correctional facilities.

The investigative committee, established in September 2024, spent several months assessing the operations of correctional centres across Nigeria. As part of its assignment, the panel inspected 86 custodial facilities in 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory, conducted public hearings, and embarked on a study visit to Türkiye to examine best practices in prison administration.

Its findings revealed widespread concerns over inmate welfare, particularly poor feeding conditions, which were identified as one of the most pressing issues affecting correctional centres. The report also uncovered allegations of fund diversion, inflated contracts, and poor management of resources allocated for feeding, healthcare, and rehabilitation programmes.

Investigators noted that inadequate feeding budgets and irregularities in food supply arrangements had contributed to malnutrition among inmates, with some facilities reportedly serving grossly insufficient meal portions. At the Owerri Correctional Centre in Imo State, the panel observed that limited food supplies resulted in small quantities of fish being shared among several inmates.

In Akwa Ibom State, investigators received reports suggesting that poor nutrition and inadequate feeding conditions had been linked to fatalities within the custodial facility, further highlighting the severity of the situation.

The report also raised concerns over the award of feeding contracts, alleging that many were granted to companies located far from the correctional centres they were expected to serve. This practice reportedly encouraged subcontracting arrangements, with some contractors transferring responsibilities to officials within the facilities.

According to the panel, some serving and retired correctional officers, politicians, and other influential individuals were allegedly connected to the contract process. Investigators were informed that certain contractors delegated feeding responsibilities at amounts significantly below government-approved rates, making it difficult to provide inmates with adequate meals.

Beyond the feeding crisis, the committee warned that some existing practices within the correctional system could be contributing to prison overcrowding. It suggested that beneficiaries of supply contracts might have little incentive to support non-custodial sentencing options or expand agricultural programmes capable of reducing dependence on external food vendors.

To address the identified shortcomings, the panel recommended an immediate increase in the daily feeding allowance to ₦3,000 per inmate, stating that the current allocation no longer reflects prevailing economic realities and is insufficient to guarantee nutritious meals.

The committee also urged the government to modernise correctional farm centres, boost food production within custodial facilities, and reduce reliance on outside contractors. It expressed confidence that implementing the recommendations would enhance inmate welfare, improve accountability in contract administration, and strengthen ongoing reforms within Nigeria’s correctional system.