By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has proposed N14.83bn in its 2026 budget to feed about 91,100 inmates nationwide.
Controller-General Sylvester Nwakuche disclosed this while presenting the agency’s 2025 budget performance and 2026 estimates before the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions in Abuja.
He said the feeding allocation, based on N1,125 per inmate daily, is part of a proposed N50.40bn recurrent overhead for 2026.
Nwakuche noted that awaiting trial inmates account for 64 per cent of the custodial population.
As of February 9, 2026, inmate figures stood at 80,812 — comprising 51,955 awaiting trial, convicted, and 3,850 in other categories.
He added that the Service’s total 2026 budget proposal stands at N198.85bn, covering personnel, feeding, operations and capital projects.