The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s correctional centres into hubs for rehabilitation and economic productivity through strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
This position was highlighted at a stakeholders’ meeting on optimising correctional farm centres and industries, where the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, representing the Minister, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojibwa, said modern correctional systems must prioritise skills acquisition, rehabilitation, and reintegration over mere incarceration.
TheFact Daily notes that the renewed push comes amid ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s correctional system, which has long faced challenges such as overcrowding, limited infrastructure, and high rates of recidivism.
In recent years, authorities have increasingly turned to vocational training, agricultural programmes, and partnerships with non-state actors as part of a broader strategy to ease congestion and better prepare inmates for life after custody.
Ajani noted that partnerships with organisations, including HOPE Behind Bars Africa, are being strengthened to scale interventions nationwide, stressing that PPPs remain key to unlocking investment, innovation, and efficiency in correctional facilities.
Also speaking, Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, said the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries, providing platforms for agriculture, vocational training, and inmate development. He added that deeper private sector collaboration would boost productivity and sustainability.
