JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
… Inmates will learn modern agricultural skills at 18 centers
… The focus shifts from stewardship to productivity and human development
… Inmates engaged in crop cultivation, poultry, fishing and processing
Daud Olatunji
The federal government has unveiled an ambitious plan to convert Nigeria’s correctional centers from traditional detention facilities to centers of productive food production and vocational training.
The initiative aims to equip inmates with modern agricultural skills and practical vocational skills, while leveraging public-private partnerships (PPPs) to strengthen rehabilitation and social reintegration.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed the initiative on Wednesday in Abuja during a stakeholders roundtable on optimizing correctional centers and public-private partnership pathways for prisoner reform.
The event was organized by Hope Behind Bars Africa with the support of the European Union and the RoLAC (Rule of Law and Fight against Corruption) programme.
Speaking through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Tunji-Ojo said the reform agenda seeks to reposition correctional centers as platforms for human development, not just custody.
“Correctional centers are no longer simply detention facilities; they are platforms for transformation, rehabilitation and a new lease on life,” he said.
The minister added that PPPs are vital to the success of the program, providing access to financing, technical expertise and innovative solutions to modernize infrastructure, expand vocational training and improve operational efficiency in prisons.
“Our goal is to produce disciplined, skilled and productive citizens who return to society as assets, not liabilities,” Tunji-Ojo stressed.
Agriculture is at the heart of the strategy. Correctional centers across the country will be transformed into agri-food hubs, exposing inmates to modern farming techniques, agricultural processing and value chain opportunities.
The initiative is designed to ensure that prisoners gain practical skills that can support them after release, while contributing to national food security.
The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, said the service currently operates 18 agricultural centers and 10 cottage industries across 10,000 hectares nationwide, covering fisheries, poultry, pig farming and agricultural production.
He noted that the plants produce maize, rice, cassava, yam, soybean, millet and sorghum, but stressed that the full potential of these operations can only be unlocked through structured private sector partnerships.
“This partnership approach will increase productivity, introduce modern agricultural practices and align programs with market realities to ensure inmates gain employable skills,” Nwakuche said.
Funke Adeoye, executive director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, said the organisation’s Farming Justice Project, in partnership with NCoS and supported by RoLAC, provides inmates with agricultural and entrepreneurial skills, while addressing food insecurity in Kuje, Kirikiri Female, Dukpa and Oko prisons.
Inmates participate in structured programs that address behavioral change, financial literacy, crop cultivation, and fish production.
The initiative also targets non-agricultural sectors such as construction, ICT and manufacturing, with the aim of improving employability and reducing recidivism among prisoners.
With this move, Nigeria joins a growing list of nations that are redefining the role of prisons from simple punishment to rehabilitation and reintegration, ensuring inmates return to society as productive citizens.
‘Want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need advertising for a product, service or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Please donate any amount HERE
