CONTRACTORS responsible for providing food to inmates across correctional centres in the country have raised alarm over what they describe as crippling unpaid debts owed to them by the Federal Government, warning that the situation is threatening the continued supply of food to prisons and could spark security risks.
The suppliers say the government owes over ₦30 billion in accumulated feeding costs, including a ₦7.7 billion backlog from late 2023 and a ₦23 billion shortfall arising from the Federal Government’s failure to implement an approved increase in the daily feeding allowance for inmates.
In August 2024, the Presidency approved an upward review of the daily feeding allocation from ₦750 to ₦1,125 per inmate in response to rising food costs and inflation. The new rate was expected to take effect from August 1, 2024.
However, over a year later, contractors say payments are still being made at the old ₦750 per inmate rate, leaving them to absorb the difference out of pocket.
This has created a cascading debt crisis, pushing several contractors into severe financial distress, with many now defaulting on bank loans used to finance food supplies.
One contractor supplying multiple facilities, who requested anonymity for fear of blacklisting, said the situation had become unbearable.
“We have not been paid for months, yet we are expected to feed thousands of inmates every day,” he said.
“Banks are threatening to seize properties we used as collateral. Some of our colleagues have lost everything. We are feeding inmates at our own cost.”
Another contractor said they were forced to take high-interest loans just to maintain supply to avoid being branded as saboteurs of national security.
“We keep hearing promises that the reviewed rate will be implemented, but nothing has changed. How long can we survive under these conditions?” the contractor lamented.
Efforts to get clarification from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages were not responded to as of press time.
However, a senior official within the Service confirmed the situation, acknowledging that the funding gap was “real and dangerous.”
“The contractors have met with the Controller General about it,” the official said.
“But the issue is tied to the Ministry of Finance. Funds have not been released. The Service cannot pay more than what is approved and available.”
The official warned that if contractors withdraw services or begin cutting costs, both the quality and quantity of meals provided to inmates could deteriorate rapidly.
“Feeding is central to the stability of correctional centres. If food supply is disrupted, unrest is inevitable. The security implications are enormous,” he said.
Nigeria has over 75,000 inmates across its correctional facilities, many of whom rely entirely on daily meal supply contracts for survival.