By Palma Ileye
Federal Government has called for technology-driven prison reforms, stronger regional cooperation and greater investment in rehabilitation to modernise correctional services across Africa.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the call yesterday while declaring open the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Conference on Prisoner Classification and the Use of Technology in Prison Settings in Africa.
Tunji-Ojo said Correctional systems across the continent must evolve to meet modern security realities, stressing that technology, data-driven decision-making and institutional reforms are essential to building secure, efficient and humane Correctional facilities.
“The approach to correctional service management in the 19th century cannot be the same as the 21st century. Technology is no longer optional—it is essential to building secure, efficient and humane correctional systems,” he said.
He urged Correctional leaders to prioritise understanding the root causes of challenges before prescribing solutions, noting that effective reforms should be guided by identifying problems, implementing appropriate solutions and setting clear timelines.
Highlighting Nigeria’s recent achievements, the Minister disclosed that the country had recorded no successful prison attacks or jailbreaks since the current administration came into office.
He attributed the feat to digital transformation, improved inmate data management and enhanced collaboration among security agencies.
He explained that the digitisation of inmate records, including biometric data and photographs, has strengthened the country’s ability to respond swiftly to security threats and monitor offenders.
According to him, technology should complement, rather than replace, human capacity, adding that investments in digital tools must be matched with investments in personnel training and development.
The Minister also urged African countries to integrate Correctional services into their national security architecture and improve intelligence sharing across borders to prevent criminals from exploiting weak coordination between nations.
“I look forward to an Africa where a criminal fleeing one country cannot simply find refuge in another because our systems are connected and our institutions collaborate,” he said.
Tunji-Ojo further advocated a shift from punitive incarceration to rehabilitation, describing correctional centres as institutions for transformation, restoration and hope.
He called on African governments to strengthen legal frameworks governing borstal institutions and juvenile justice, stressing that young offenders should not be housed with hardened criminals.
The Interior Minister revealed that Nigeria has expanded educational, vocational and skills acquisition programmes for inmates, with thousands currently enrolled in formal education and postgraduate studies saying that, the initiatives, alongside structured rehabilitation programmes, had contributed significantly to reducing recidivism.
Commending the UNODC, the African Correctional Services Association (ACSA), the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and other partners for convening the conference, Tunji-Ojo described the gathering as a vital platform for promoting common correctional standards across Africa.
He urged African leaders to embrace technology as a critical tool for strengthening Correctional administration, improving internal security and restoring hope across the continent.
