JusticeTechNG 2025: A Catalyst for Justice Sector Reform in Nigeria
Nigeria’s justice system, like many others worldwide, faces significant challenges related to efficiency, accessibility, and transparency. Recognizing the transformative potential of technology, the Nigerian government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has launched JusticeTechNG 2025. This groundbreaking initiative, orchestrated by the Special Assistant to the President on Justice Sector Reform and ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology, Fernandez Marcus-Obiene, represents the nation’s first national hackathon and accelerator program dedicated to fostering innovation within the justice sector. With a substantial prize pool of N22 million, JusticeTechNG 2025 aims to leverage the ingenuity of Nigerian tech talent to develop cutting-edge solutions that address systemic inefficiencies and promote a more accessible and transparent justice system.
The JusticeTechNG 2025 program is strategically structured to maximize impact and nurture promising solutions from inception to implementation. The program kicks off with a dynamic three-day hackathon in Lagos from June 3rd to 5th, providing a platform for teams to collaborate, brainstorm, and rapidly prototype innovative ideas. Following the hackathon, selected teams will participate in a rigorous four-week accelerator program from June 10th to July 10th. This intensive program will offer expert mentorship, technical guidance, and resources to refine their prototypes, develop viable business models, and prepare for real-world deployment. The culmination of the program is a Demo Day, where finalist teams will pitch their solutions to a distinguished panel comprising government officials, judges, investors, and development partners. This platform provides teams with the opportunity to secure seed funding, pilot their solutions within the justice system, and potentially scale their impact nationwide.
JusticeTechNG 2025 invites teams of 3 to 5 individuals with diverse backgrounds, including developers, lawyers, civic actors, and designers, to participate. This interdisciplinary approach fosters a holistic understanding of the challenges and encourages innovative solutions that account for the complex interplay of legal, technological, and social factors. The application deadline is May 25th, 2025, after which shortlisted teams will be invited to the in-person hackathon in Lagos. The initiative prioritizes addressing critical areas within the justice system, including access to justice, streamlining court administration, enhancing digital legal awareness, improving crime reporting mechanisms, facilitating prison reintegration, and promoting transparency across the entire sector.
Fernandez Marcus-Obiene emphasizes the transformative potential of JusticeTechNG 2025, stating, “JusticeTechNG is about empowering young Nigerians to create real-world solutions to the challenges we face daily in our courts, police stations, correctional centres, and legal aid systems. If we want transformation, we must invest in ideas, people, and platforms that are bold and local.” This statement underscores the program’s commitment to nurturing local talent and developing solutions tailored to the specific needs of the Nigerian justice system. The N22 million prize pool, coupled with technical assistance and pilot opportunities, underscores the significant investment being made in fostering innovation and driving impactful change within the justice sector.
The JusticeTechNG 2025 program is spearheaded by a multidisciplinary committee chaired by Abiola Jimoh, a seasoned technology policy professional with extensive experience across government and development sectors. Jimoh emphasizes that JusticeTechNG is more than just a hackathon; it’s a concerted national effort to build a pipeline of scalable solutions that can be rigorously tested, adopted, and ultimately scaled across justice institutions. This focus on scalability highlights the program’s long-term vision of creating sustainable solutions that can transform the Nigerian justice system at a national level. The program’s emphasis on impact is further reinforced by the involvement of a high-level Advisory Board.
The Advisory Board, composed of distinguished leaders from the judiciary, legal practice, government, academia, and civic technology, plays a crucial role in guiding the program’s strategic direction, ensuring credibility, and aligning its objectives with long-term justice reform goals. The board’s membership includes senior advocates, former attorneys general, digital policy experts, and heads of legal technology firms, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the initiative. Their involvement underscores the program’s commitment to fostering collaboration between diverse stakeholders and ensuring that the solutions developed are not only innovative but also practical, sustainable, and aligned with broader justice sector reform objectives. The JusticeTechNG 2025 program represents a significant step towards leveraging technology to address systemic challenges and build a more efficient, accessible, and transparent justice system in Nigeria. By empowering young innovators and fostering collaboration between diverse stakeholders, this initiative has the potential to drive meaningful change and pave the way for a more just and equitable future for all Nigerians.
