Nigeria repositions correctional centres as thriving food production hubs

Nigeria is charting a more purposeful path for its correctional system, one that blends rehabilitation with productivity and real economic value.

At the heart of this shift is a plan by the Federal Government to transform correctional centres into food production hubs, while equipping inmates with practical skills for life after incarceration. The approach was highlighted in Abuja at a stakeholders’ roundtable on optimising correctional farm centres and strengthening public-private partnerships (PPPs) for inmate reformation. The event was organised by Hope Behind Bars Africa with support from the European Union (EU) and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stressed that correctional facilities must move beyond confinement to focus on rehabilitation and reintegration. He noted that modern systems globally now prioritise preparing inmates to return to society as productive citizens, making collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society essential.

Agriculture is central to the strategy. With Nigeria’s strong farming potential, correctional farm centres are being repositioned as spaces where inmates learn modern agricultural practices, agro-processing, and value chain opportunities, skills that remain useful long after release. 

PPPs are expected to provide the funding, innovation, and technical expertise needed to upgrade infrastructure, expand training, and improve efficiency, while also extending opportunities into sectors like construction, ICT, and manufacturing.

The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, revealed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries across about 10,000 hectares nationwide. These facilities produce crops such as maize, rice, cassava, yam, soybeans, millet, and sorghum, alongside fishery, poultry, and piggery projects. While these activitqies already support inmate welfare and skills development, he noted that stronger private sector partnerships are needed to fully unlock their potential and align them with market realities.

Complementing government efforts, Hope Behind Bars Africa, led by Executive Director Funke Adeoye, is driving the Farming Justice Project in partnership with the NCoS and supported by RoLAC. The initiative is active in custodial centres including Kuje, Kirikiri Female, Dukpa, and Oko, where inmates engage in structured programmes covering behavioural change, financial literacy, and agricultural production such as pepper, okra, watermelon, maize, and fish farming.

Aligned with the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019, this growing collaboration reflects a clear direction, one where correctional centres are no longer seen as endpoints, but as platforms for rebuilding lives, strengthening food systems, and contributing to Nigeria’s broader development.