Nigeria Hosts African Conference on Prison Reforms, Technology

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to modernising Nigeria’s correctional system as African leaders and justice sector experts gathered in Abuja for the Regional Conference on Prisoner Classification and the Use of Technology in Prison Settings in Africa.

Speaking at the opening of the three-day conference at the Transcorp Hilton, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said effective prisoner classification is critical to building humane, secure and rehabilitative correctional facilities across the continent.

The conference brings together heads of correctional services from across Africa alongside partners from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

Tunji-Ojo described prisoner classification as “not merely an administrative exercise, but the very foundation of humane, secure, and truly rehabilitative prison management.”

He urged African countries to leverage technology to strengthen security, reduce recidivism and transform correctional facilities into centres of reformation..

“We must harness the power of technology to strengthen security, significantly reduce recidivism, and transform our correctional facilities into genuine centres of reformation where lives can be positively changed,” he said.

The minister said the conference aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that the Federal Government remains committed to modernising the nation’s justice and correctional sector.

According to him, the conference will help develop practical strategies and strengthen regional cooperation to tackle prison overcrowding, improve rehabilitation outcomes and uphold the dignity of both inmates and correctional officers.

Tunji-Ojo added that Nigeria was proud to host the continental gathering, expressing confidence that its outcomes would strengthen correctional services’ contribution to national security, public safety and sustainable development across Africa.