The Federal Government has unveiled plans to reposition Nigeria’s correctional system by transforming custodial centres into productive agribusiness hubs through strategic public-private partnerships, while intensifying rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for inmates.
The initiative marks a shift from the traditional incarceration model to a reform-focused approach aligned with global best practices that emphasize skills acquisition, economic productivity, and reduced recidivism.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ roundtable on Optimizing Correctional Farm Centres and Public-Private Partnership Pathways for Inmate Reformation. He was represented at the event by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani.
The roundtable, organized by Hope Behind Bars Africa with support from the European Union-backed Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme, brought together stakeholders from government, the private sector, and civil society to advance correctional reforms.
Tunji-Ojo stressed that correctional facilities must evolve from mere holding centres into institutions of productivity and human development.
“Correctional centres are no longer just places of custody; they are platforms for transformation, rehabilitation, and a new lease of life. The goal is to produce disciplined, skilled, and productive citizens who can return to society as assets, not liabilities,” he said.
He noted that the government alone cannot unlock the full economic and rehabilitative potential of the system, describing public-private partnerships as a strategic necessity rather than an option.
According to him, PPPs will provide access to funding, innovation, and technical expertise needed to modernise infrastructure, expand vocational training, and improve operational efficiency across facilities nationwide.
The minister identified agriculture as a cornerstone of the reform agenda, noting that Nigeria’s vast agricultural potential positions correctional farm centres at the intersection of food security and inmate empowerment.
“These farm centres can be transformed into modern agribusiness hubs where inmates are exposed to contemporary farming techniques, agro-processing, and value chain opportunities. This goes beyond feeding inmates; it equips them with lifelong skills,” he added.
Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, said the Service is undergoing deliberate reforms to align with international standards.
He disclosed that the NCoS operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries across about 10,000 hectares nationwide, alongside agricultural projects covering fishery, poultry, and piggery.
Nwakuche said the facilities currently produce crops such as maize, rice, cassava, yams, soybeans, millet, and sorghum, contributing to inmate welfare and serving as platforms for skills acquisition. However, he noted that their full potential remains largely untapped without private sector collaboration.
“Through PPPs, we can enhance productivity, introduce modern agricultural practices, and align our programmes with market realities to ensure inmates acquire relevant, employable skills,” he said.
Also speaking, Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, Funke Adeoye, said the initiative is anchored on the provisions of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, which prioritises rehabilitation and encourages partnerships with non-state actors.
She explained that the organisation’s Farming Justice Project seeks to address food insecurity in custodial centres while equipping inmates with practical agricultural and entrepreneurial skills.
According to her, the project—implemented in collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service and supported by RoLAC—is already operational in custodial centres in Kuje, Kirikiri Female, Dukpa, and Oko.
“Inmates are engaged in structured programmes covering behavioural change, financial literacy and crop cultivation, while also participating in agricultural production such as pepper, okra, watermelon and maize farming, as well as fish production,” she said.
Adeoye added that the initiative has impacted hundreds of inmates and correctional officers across Edo, Abuja, and Lagos, with positive ripple effects on families and surrounding communities.
“What we are witnessing is that when systems invest in people, outcomes change. Inmates are producing food, gaining skills and, in some cases, going on to establish their own agribusinesses after release,” she said.
