Nigeria’s prison population increased by 11,764 inmates between 2017 and the second quarter of 2025, intensifying pressure on correctional facilities nationwide, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Data from the Nigerian Correctional Service Statistics (2017–Q2 2025) shows inmate numbers rose from 69,946 to 81,710, despite capacity expanding from 53,752 to 65,035, leaving many centres overcrowded.
The NBS attributed congestion largely to awaiting-trial detainees, whose number grew from 47,610 in 2017 to 53,790 by Q2 2025. Lagos recorded the highest inmate population, with 9,209 inmates in facilities built for 4,167 persons. “Other states with high inmate populations were Ogun (4,939), Kano (4,667), and Enugu (3,536),” the NBS stated.