FG Pushes Tech-Driven Prison Reforms, Seeks Unified African Security Network

"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." Tunji-Ojo

The Federal Government has called for accelerated technology-driven reforms in Africa's correctional system, urging stronger cross-border collaboration to improve prison security, rehabilitation and criminal justice administration across the continent.

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the call 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.

He said correctional systems must evolve to meet modern security realities, stressing that digital innovation has become indispensable for effective prison management.

"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," the minister said.

Tunji-Ojo noted that Nigeria had recorded no successful prison attacks or jailbreaks since the current administration came into office, attributing the feat to digital transformation, improved inmate data management and enhanced collaboration among security agencies.

According to him, the digitisation of inmates' records, including biometric data and photographs, has strengthened intelligence gathering and improved the country's ability to respond swiftly to security threats.

He, however, maintained that technology must complement, not replace, human capacity, calling for greater investment in personnel training alongside digital infrastructure.

The Minister also urged African governments to integrate correctional services into their national security architecture and strengthen information sharing across borders to prevent criminals from exploiting weak links between countries.

"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.

Beyond security, Tunji-Ojo advocated a shift from punitive incarceration to rehabilitation, describing correctional centres as institutions for transformation, restoration and hope.

He disclosed that thousands of inmates in Nigeria are currently benefiting from formal education, postgraduate studies, vocational training and skills acquisition programmes, adding that the initiatives have significantly reduced repeat offending while turning correctional facilities into centres of productivity.

The Minister further called for stronger legal frameworks to protect juvenile offenders, insisting that children in conflict with the law should not be detained alongside hardened criminals.

He urged African leaders to embrace technology and deepen regional cooperation in building correctional systems capable of enhancing justice, improving security and restoring hope across the continent.