IN-CJ Newsdesk – Rehabilitation and Welfare Practices in Nigeria
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In this session from the IN-CJ Newsdesk 2022, Dr Uju Agomoh discusses how prisoner’s rehabilitation and welfare is developed and put into practice. Dr Uju explains how policy imperative need to be supplemented with a return to pre-colonial models of social and community justice, with the family at the heart of any process of corrections and rehabilitation.
This IN-CJ Newsdesk session explored the challenges and opportunities of rehabilitation and welfare in Nigeria’s correctional system, highlighting the need for systemic reform and a whole-of-society approach to reintegration.
Speakers began by outlining the structural difficulties facing Nigerian prisons. With over 70% of inmates awaiting trial, many spend longer in custody than if convicted, leaving little scope for planned rehabilitation. Overcrowding, poor classification of prisoners, limited equipment, and scarce resources further undermine efforts to prepare individuals for release.
Despite these barriers, innovative practices are emerging. The Nigerian Correctional Service Act (2019) has introduced measures such as education, vocational training, and prison industries where profit can be shared with prisoners. Partnerships with the National Open University of Nigeria, NGOs, and faith-based organisations have also expanded opportunities for learning and personal development, though these remain underfunded and unevenly implemented.
The discussion highlighted the importance of recognising different categories of prisoners – from innocent detainees to petty offenders and serious offenders – each requiring tailored interventions. Without this, overcrowded facilities risk exacerbating cycles of harm rather than breaking them.
A recurring theme was the central role of families, communities, and civil society in rehabilitation. Family visits, community mentorship, and ex-prisoners acting as peer supporters were identified as crucial in overcoming stigma and building bridges back into society.
Speakers concluded that rehabilitation cannot be delivered by correctional institutions alone. Instead, a whole-of-society model is needed, involving government ministries (education, health, commerce, youth), NGOs, the private sector, and communities working alongside correctional services. Such collaboration, they argued, is the only way to ensure that rehabilitation in Nigeria is meaningful, sustainable, and capable of giving people genuine second chances.
Listen to the full discussion in IN-CJ Newsdesk – Rehabilitation and Welfare Practices in Nigeria
