Sixty four per cent of Nigeria’s prison population are awaiting trial, the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), has revealed.
Controller-General Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed this on Wednesday while presenting the agency’s 2025 budget performance and 2026 estimates before the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions in Abuja.
As of February 9, 2026, Nigeria had 80,812 inmates: 51,955 awaiting trial, 24,913 convicted, and 3,850 in other detention categories,he said.
He added:“The high proportion of awaiting trial inmates underscores the urgent need for reforms in our correctional system.
“The Nigeria Correctional Service is a critical institution,. responsible not only for custody but also for rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates as law-abiding citizens.”
Speaking on the 2025 budget, Nwakuche disclosed that the Service received ₦184.63 billion for personnel, overhead, and capital expenditure.
Of the ₦124.31 billion approved for personnel, ₦112.68 billion (90.6%),he said, was released and fully utilized for salaries, pensions, and health insurance under the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Recurrent overhead releases stood at 73.7 per cent. Of ₦38.03 billion, ₦27.28 billion (71.7%) was spent on inmate feeding, leaving ₦10.75 billion outstanding.
Operational costs, including staff training, vehicles for court duties, electricity, security, and facility maintenance, totaled ₦6.49 billion.
Capital funding recorded the lowest implementation. Only ₦3.22 billion (22.2%) of the ₦14.50 billion appropriated was released, leaving ₦11.27 billion unreleased.
Nwakuche emphasised that capital expenditure is vital for constructing and rehabilitating facilities, procuring operational vehicles, arms, ICT systems, biometric inmate registration, and inputs for prison farms.
NCoS realized ₦84.65 million in internally generated revenue in 2025 and currently employs 33,024 staff nationwide, despite not being a revenue-generating agency.
Nwakuche presented a proposed ₦198.85 billion budget, including ₦138.30 billion for personnel, ₦50.40 billion for recurrent overhead (₦14.83 billion for feeding 91,100 inmates), and a request for an additional ₦90.38 billion to raise capital funding to ₦100.50 billion.
He also sought approval to clear ₦30.38 billion in promotion arrears and ₦25.16 billion owed to contractors.
Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, emphasized the need for urgent reforms, improved infrastructure, and presidential assent to the Correctional Service Trust Fund Bill.
He said:“Our core duty is the budget defence of the 2026 Appropriations,” Ogah said. “Better funding and decentralized infrastructure will strengthen rehabilitation, vocational training, and agricultural initiatives, allowing correctional centres to function as genuine reform institutions.”
He also highlighted efforts to expand education in prisons, noting that about 10 National Open University of Nigeria study centres have been established nationwide, offering free programmes to inmates.
Ogah urged private sector support for correctional institutions and called on the National Security Adviser to support NCoS operationally, noting that while other agencies arrest and prosecute suspects, correctional authorities are responsible for custody, rehabilitation, and reintegration.