The Federal Government announced a package of reforms aimed at overhauling Nigeria's criminal justice system, easing prison overcrowding and shifting emphasis toward restorative justice.
Attorney‑General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, presented the National Minimum Standards (2025) together with a Harmonised Restorative Justice Training Curriculum and Manual (2025).
Fagbemi described the standards and manual as a milestone that will make the justice system more effective, humane and responsive to victims, offenders and the wider community.
He linked the initiative to earlier reforms under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which introduced mechanisms for faster case handling and correctional‑centre decongestion.
The new Minimum Standards set a unified benchmark for justice institutions, outlining procedures, safeguards and operational guidelines to ensure consistency, professionalism and respect for human rights.
The ministry will hold a three‑day intensive training on restorative justice for judges and mediators, while Chief Judge Justice John Tsoho and Director Leticia Ayoola‑Daniels praised the curriculum for promoting victim compensation, reconciliation and community participation.
Lateef Fagbemi's launch of the 2025 Minimum Standards marks a decisive shift from a purely punitive model to one that embraces restorative justice.
The standards extend the ACJA 2015 reforms by providing detailed procedures and a training curriculum that aim to speed up case resolution, reduce reliance on custodial sentences and embed non‑custodial options across the justice sector.
If the framework is applied, victims could gain quicker compensation and mediation,
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