The oversight and administration of allowances for Nigerian prisoners fall under the jurisdiction of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), formerly known as the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS). The NCoS is responsible for managing the welfare of inmates, including the provision and monitoring of their feeding allowances.
The Federal Government sets the feeding allowance, which is then implemented and supervised by the NCoS at various custodial centers across the country.
The daily feeding allowance for inmates has seen several revisions over recent years. Initially set at N750 per inmate per day, the Federal Government increased this amount to N1,125 as of early 2025 to better reflect the rising cost of food and improve the welfare of prisoners.
Before this, there was a 50% increase announced in 2024, signaling ongoing efforts to adjust the allowance in line with economic realities[3]. The NCoS has even proposed a further increase to N3,000 per day, a request currently awaiting approval from the Minister of Interior and the National Assembly.
The administration of these allowances involves a structured process. Contracts for the supply of rations to prisons are made public, and vendors are paid upon completion of their supply, adhering to the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
Each custodial center has a ration committee that supervises the quality assurance of food supply, preparation, and distribution to inmates, ensuring that the feeding is done within the approved budget.
This system aims to maintain transparency and accountability in the use of funds allocated for inmate welfare.
Oversight is also maintained through monitoring teams deployed from the NCoS national headquarters.
These teams visit prisons to oversee the feeding of inmates, ensuring compliance with the set standards and allowances. Senior officers within the prisons are urged to cooperate with these monitoring teams as part of their national duty to safeguard the welfare of inmates.
The legal framework for prison administration, including welfare provisions, is grounded in the Prisons Act (CAP. P29) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
This Act vests wide powers in the President of Nigeria over the control, administration, security, and welfare of prisoners and prison staff. The Act also allows the President to make regulations regarding the organization and administration of prisons, which include welfare measures such as feeding allowances.
Despite these provisions, challenges remain in fully realizing the welfare goals for inmates. Reports and concerns about underfunding or poor feeding conditions occasionally arise, but the NCoS actively debunks misinformation and commits to improving conditions.
The agency emphasizes its dedication to reforming and rehabilitating inmates, including expanding educational and vocational programs, and giving special attention to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and physically challenged inmates.
In summary, the Nigerian Correctional Service administers and oversees the allowances for prisoners, particularly feeding allowances, under the authority of the Federal Government and the legal framework established by the Prisons Act.
The process involves public procurement for food supply, monitoring by dedicated teams, and ongoing efforts to increase funding to meet the welfare needs of inmates effectively.
The NCoS leadership continues to advocate for better allowances and improved conditions to fulfill its mandate of humane treatment and rehabilitation of prisoners in Nigeria, knowing that the Nigerian people will not hesitate to call them out should their disposition become suggestive of corrupt tendencies.