Nigeria’s prison population grew by 11,764 inmates between 2017 and the second quarter of 2025, exacerbating overcrowding and straining correctional facilities nationwide, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The report shows total inmate numbers rising from 69,946 in 2017 to 81,710 in Q2 2025, a 16.8 per cent increase, while official prison capacity expanded from 53,752 to 65,035, leaving many facilities still stretched beyond limits.
A major contributor is the high number of awaiting-trial inmates, which rose from 47,610 in 2017 to 53,790 in 2025, highlighting slow judicial processes, court congestion, and limited access to legal representation.
State-level figures reveal stark disparities: Lagos leads with 9,209 inmates in facilities built for 4,167, followed by Ogun (4,939), Kano (4,667), and Enugu (3,536). The lowest populations were recorded in Kogi (530), Bayelsa (696), and Benue (777).
The report also details prison admissions in 2024: 176,536 inmates were admitted nationwide, with remand and awaiting-trial cases accounting for 94,614. Most inmates were jailed for petty theft (55,722) and other minor offences (46,043), while bribery, cybercrime, and smuggling accounted for fewer than 200 admissions combined.
Rights groups warn that overcrowding not only strains resources but also worsens living conditions and undermines the rehabilitative role of prisons. NBS data further revealed that over 8,200 inmates suffer from mental illness, compounding the challenges.
While Nigeria has introduced non-custodial sentencing measures like probation and community service, implementation remains limited, leaving prisons heavily congested and the criminal justice system over-reliant on detention.
