FG Calls For Stronger PPP To Drive Correctional Centre

The federal government has called for enhanced Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to drive sustainable reforms across correctional centres nationwide.

The minister of interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the appeal in Abuja during a stakeholders’ dialogue focused on optimising correctional farm centres and expanding PPP pathways for inmate rehabilitation and reintegration.

The dialogue was organised by Hope Behind Bars Africa (HBBA) in collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme, funded by the European Union and International IDEA.

Represented by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Tunji-Ojo commended HBBA for its interventions within correctional facilities, noting the organisation’s presence in at least four custodial institutions. He said the government is eager to deepen and broaden such collaborations through more structured partnerships.

“I thank Hope Behind Bars Africa. Your partnership is a powerful testament that transforming our correctional system is not a solitary task for government, but a collective national enterprise,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He added, “It is a mission that demands the energy, expertise, and commitment of the private sector, civil society, and development partners alike. Globally, correctional administration has evolved. We have moved decisively beyond incarceration as mere custodial detention. Progressive justice systems now view correctional centres as crucial platforms for transformation, rehabilitation, and building a new lease on life.”

Tunji-Ojo emphasised that stronger partnerships would help transform correctional farm centres into productive agricultural hubs, not only to feed inmates but also to equip them with practical skills for reintegration into society.

Also speaking, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, said the NCoS is undergoing reforms aimed at repositioning custodial facilities as centres of rehabilitation.

He disclosed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres, 10 cottage industries, and several agricultural projects nationwide, supporting both food production and vocational training.

“Our farms produce maize, rice, groundnuts, cassava, yam, soya beans, guinea corn, oil palm, millet, sorghum, cowpea, and banyan seeds,” Nwakuche said. “PPP arrangements will boost productivity, modernise operations, and improve reintegration outcomes for inmates.”

He expressed optimism that the dialogue would explore practical models, facilitate knowledge-sharing, and identify actionable strategies for enhancing correctional farm centres’ performance.

Funke Adeoye, Executive Director of HBBA, highlighted the organisation’s “Farming Justice Project,” launched in 2014, which integrates agriculture into inmate rehabilitation while addressing food insecurity and recidivism.

“The initiative has evolved through partnerships with the NCoS and RoLAC, supported by the EU and International IDEA. It is currently operational in Dukpa, Kuje, Kirikiri Female, and Oko facilities, where inmates participate in structured programmes covering behavioural reform, financial literacy, and agricultural production,” Adeoye said.

She noted that the programme has positively impacted hundreds of inmates and correctional officers across Edo, Abuja, and Lagos, while also benefiting families, communities, and local food systems. Some centres are already generating revenue from farm produce, helping inmates acquire skills that support reintegration upon release.

Adeoye explained that the dialogue aims to refine training frameworks for broader adoption and explore PPP models clearly defining the roles of government, private sector players, and civil society organisations in scaling such interventions.

Danladi Plang, a representative of RoLAC, underscored the importance of partnerships in addressing challenges within the criminal justice system. “Collaboration between government and non-state actors brings in critical resources, expertise, and innovation required to achieve sustainable reform,” he said.