By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.

The Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has declared that Nigeria’s correctional centres must transition from mere detention facilities into institutions focused on transformation, equipping inmates with practical skills for reintegration into society.

Speaking through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, at a high-level stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja, the Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to overhauling the correctional system through strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

He stressed that modern correctional systems must go beyond incarceration, placing greater emphasis on rehabilitation, vocational training, and reintegration of inmates as productive citizens upon release.

The engagement, which brought together representatives from government, private sector, civil society, and development organisations, focused on optimizing correctional farm centres, industries, and partnership pathways.

The Ministry highlighted ongoing collaborations with organisations such as HOPE Behind Bars Africa to expand reform initiatives across the country.

Dr. Ajani described PPPs as critical to achieving the government’s vision, noting that such partnerships would combine public oversight with private sector innovation, investment, and efficiency.

According to her, this approach would unlock the economic potential of correctional farm centres and industries, particularly in agriculture and vocational training.

She further emphasized that Nigeria’s correctional farm centres could be repositioned as centres of excellence in modern agriculture, agro-processing, and value chain development—contributing to both inmate rehabilitation and national food security.

Also speaking, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to reforms aimed at transforming facilities into centres of reformation and reintegration.

He revealed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries nationwide, covering agricultural activities such as crop production, livestock, fisheries, and poultry.

These initiatives, he said, serve as platforms for inmate welfare and skills acquisition. Nwakuche noted that deeper collaboration with private sector partners would boost productivity, introduce modern agricultural techniques, and create sustainable value chains within correctional facilities.

Stakeholders at the forum collectively called for practical, scalable, and sustainable solutions to drive meaningful reform. In his remarks, Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Rt. Hon. Chinedu Ogah, urged stakeholders to prioritize accountability and innovation, stressing that agriculture remains vital to economic growth and national security.

The meeting aligns with the broader reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which prioritizes institutional strengthening, economic productivity, and sustainable development.
Participants were encouraged to build strong partnerships capable of transforming correctional facilities into engines of productivity, reducing recidivism, and enhancing public safety.

The Ministry reiterated that successful correctional reform would require collective action, sustained investment, and a shared commitment to building a humane, efficient, and development-driven system.