By Emmanuel Emeka
African correctional leaders have called for greater regional cooperation, technology-driven prison management and stronger adherence to human rights standards as experts gathered in Abuja for the Regional Conference on Prisoner Classification and the Use of Technology in Prisons in Africa.
The conference, hosted by the Nigerian Correctional Service in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the African Correctional Services Association (ACSA), brought together correctional administrators, policymakers and development partners from across the continent to discuss reforms aimed at strengthening prison management.
Speaking at the conference, the Chairperson of the African Correctional Services Association (ACSA), Mr. Makgothi Thobakgale, said African prison systems must move beyond punitive approaches towards professional, human rights-based correctional services focused on rehabilitation.
According to him, effective prisoner classification and modern risk assessment frameworks are essential to improving prison security, protecting vulnerable inmates and delivering tailored rehabilitation programmes.
“We are at a defining crossroads in African penal history. Our central mission remains clear. We must accelerate a definitive paradigm shift away from purely punitive containment towards human rights-based professional correctional systems,” he said.
Thobakgale welcomed the launch of a new UNODC and International Committee of the Red Cross handbook on the use of technology in prisons, describing it as an important guide for correctional institutions across Africa.
He, however, cautioned that technology should complement—not replace—human interaction.
“Technology should never replace human interaction. It cannot simply serve as a bandage for systemic challenges such as overcrowding and staff shortages. Instead, it should support rehabilitation, improve prison management and facilitate social reintegration,” he stated.
The ACSA chair also urged African countries yet to join the association to become members in order to strengthen regional cooperation, share best practices and access technical support for correctional reforms.
He further invited member and non-member states to participate in the 8th African Correctional Services Association Conference, scheduled to hold in Cape Town, South Africa, from April 26 to 30, 2027.
Also speaking, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, said prisoner classification has become a strategic component of modern correctional administration.
He noted that correctional institutions should not be viewed merely as places of confinement but as centres for rehabilitation and reintegration.
“The effectiveness of any modern correctional system depends not only on its ability to provide safe custody but also on its capacity to understand the diverse risks, needs and rehabilitation prospects of those committed to its care,” he said.
According to Nwakuche, technology enhances the accuracy of prisoner classification, improves information management, supports evidence-based decision-making and strengthens accountability within correctional institutions.
He said the Nigerian Correctional Service has continued to modernise its operations under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 by strengthening rehabilitation programmes while promoting respect for the dignity and rights of persons in custody.
The Controller-General stressed that no correctional service possesses all the answers, describing the conference as an opportunity for African countries to exchange experiences, share innovations and jointly develop practical solutions to common challenges such as prison overcrowding, recidivism and prison security.
He added that delegates would also participate in learning visits to selected Nigerian correctional facilities to observe ongoing reforms and encourage professional exchange.
Both speakers emphasised that stronger partnerships, responsible use of technology and sustained regional collaboration will be critical to building safer, more humane and more effective correctional systems across Africa.
