A new report by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) has raised serious concerns over rice procurement for inmates, alleging that official records suggest prisoners were allocated between four and 15 cups of rice per day between 2016 and 2023.
The findings are contained in IGR’s February 2026 publication of Critical Perspectives of Governance, titled “Di Hade Pa Di Case II – Prison Rice and the Case for a New Politics.”
The study reviewed 552 procurement contracts awarded by the Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS) across two administrations over an eight-year period.
According to the report, a total of NLe211.3 million was spent on rice for inmates during the period under review. IGR estimates that this equates to an average annual expenditure of NLe5,707 per prisoner, or approximately NLe15.63 per inmate per day.
However, the report argues that the quantities of rice reflected in procurement documents appear far above realistic dietary requirements. On average, records indicate that 10.2 cups of rice were allocated per prisoner daily. The reported allocation reportedly peaked at 15 cups per day in 2017, while the lowest recorded figure was four cups per day in 2020.
IGR compared the procurement data with national consumption trends and nutritional benchmarks, noting that a typical adult generally consumes about two cups of rice per day, and rarely exceeds three cups even under high-calorie diets. Based on this comparison, the report describes the procurement figures as “economically implausible.”
Using adjusted consumption models, the think tank recalculated the spending. At an assumed three cups per day, it estimates that roughly NLe144 million, representing 68 percent of total expenditure, appears excessive. At two cups daily, the questioned amount rises to NLe166.5 million, or 79 percent of total spending. If calculated at one cup per day, the unexplained expenditure increases to NLe189 million, equivalent to 89 percent of the total rice procurement budget.
The report concludes that even under generous feeding assumptions, a substantial share of the funds allocated for rice cannot be justified based on realistic consumption levels.
Beyond the financial analysis, IGR also highlights what it describes as political influence in the awarding of prison food contracts.
The study notes that more than 60 percent of contractors were replaced following the 2018 change of government, and references similar patterns after the 2007 political transition. It suggests that these shifts point to entrenched patronage networks within prison food procurement.
Despite the reported high expenditure, the report cites previous performance audits indicating that inmates often receive limited portions. In some facilities, it claims, a single basin of rice has reportedly been served to cover both lunch and dinner.
IGR warns that the matter extends beyond fiscal concerns, raising potential human rights implications if procurement records do not accurately reflect actual feeding conditions in correctional centres.
The organisation is recommending a comprehensive review of food procurement practices within prisons and other public institutions that rely on bulk food supplies, including hospitals and security agencies. It also calls for accelerated digitalisation of procurement systems to improve transparency, oversight and accountability in public spending.
