By Joy Onu
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s correctional centres into hubs of rehabilitation, productivity, and national development through strategic partnerships with the private sector.
This position was outlined by the Federal Ministry of Interior Nigeria during a stakeholders’ engagement focused on optimizing correctional farm centres, industries, and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) pathways.
Representing the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani, said the government is shifting focus from mere incarceration to rehabilitation, skills development, and reintegration of inmates into society.
She noted that modern correctional systems must prioritise equipping inmates with practical skills that can support productive lives after release, adding that partnerships with organisations such as HOPE Behind Bars Africa are being strengthened to expand interventions across facilities nationwide.
Ajani described PPPs as critical to achieving the reform agenda, explaining that such collaborations would combine government oversight with private sector investment, innovation, and efficiency.
According to her, correctional farm centres hold significant potential to be repositioned as centres of excellence in agriculture, agro-processing, and value-chain development, contributing to both inmate rehabilitation and national economic growth.
Also speaking, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, said the Service is advancing reforms aimed at transforming correctional facilities into centres of reformation and reintegration.
He disclosed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries nationwide, with activities spanning crop production, livestock, fisheries, and poultry, which serve as platforms for skills acquisition and inmate welfare.
Nwakuche stressed that increased private sector collaboration would boost productivity, introduce modern agricultural techniques, and establish sustainable value chains within correctional facilities.
Stakeholders at the engagement, including representatives from government, private sector, and civil society groups, emphasised the need for practical and scalable solutions to drive measurable impact in the correctional system.
In his remarks, Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, Chinedu Ogah, called for greater accountability and innovation in managing correctional farm centres, noting that agriculture remains vital to economic development and national security.
He urged stakeholders to move beyond discussions and focus on implementation that delivers tangible results.
The initiative aligns with the broader reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises institutional strengthening, economic productivity, and sustainable development.
The Ministry maintained that achieving meaningful correctional reform would require sustained investment, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to building a more humane and effective system that reduces reoffending and enhances public safety.
