In a bid to address long-standing nutritional challenges within the prison system, the Nigerian government has approved an increment in the daily feeding allowance for inmates to N1,150.
This adjustment, set to take effect in 2025, represents a significant rise from the current N750 allocation, aligning inmate welfare with “current economic realities,” according to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
Speaking to The PUNCH on Tuesday, Stephen Abene, spokesperson for the Nasarawa State Command of the NCoS, confirmed that the increase has been incorporated into the 2025 budget to improve inmate care and address the growing concern over prison conditions.
“The government recently approved N1,150 for feeding per inmate from N750, which will be captured in the 2025 budget. This upward review is to meet up with the present economic reality,” Abene stated.
This announcement follows a period of heightened public scrutiny on the welfare of prisoners, particularly after the NCoS Controller General, Haliru Nababa, disclosed in December 2023 that inmates received N750 for daily meals, a sum significantly lower than the N800 allotted per day for each of the service’s 900 security dogs.
This revelation triggered widespread debate over the perceived disparity in resource allocation within the correctional system.
The call for reform intensified after a viral video surfaced in August 2024 from the Afokang Custodial Centre in Calabar, depicting inmates being served inadequately prepared meals.
The footage sparked outrage, prompting the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to order an investigation into the quality of food served in correctional facilities.
The NCoS, in its response, clarified that the substandard food depicted in the video did not reflect the overall standard of care, although an inquiry was launched to examine the incident.
Concerns over inmate nutrition further escalated in September 2024 when reports alleged that 12 inmates at the Keffi Medium Security Custodial Centre in Nasarawa State had died from health issues reportedly linked to poor nutrition.
This tragic development has underscored the need for immediate action, placing additional pressure on the government and correctional authorities to prioritize inmate welfare.
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