This November, Nigeria’s justice sector will celebrate a major milestone; ten (10) years since the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
To commemorate this significant anniversary, the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NBA-ICLE), will host the National Symposium on Criminal Justice Administration (NSCJA) 2025.
This is a landmark national event dedicated to reflection, innovation, and collaboration in the nation’s criminal justice system.
The Symposium will convene a diverse assembly of policy-makers, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, civil society actors, and international development partners to assess the achievements of the ACJA over the past decade, identify persistent challenges, and chart the course for the future of criminal justice reform in Nigeria.
The event will take place on Tuesday, 25th and Wednesday, 26th November 2025, in the nation’s capital, and will be held in a hybrid format to allow for both physical and virtual participation.
Themed “Reflecting on a Decade of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act: Achievements and Future Directions,” the NSCJA will offer two days of robust dialogue and exchange.
Participants will reflect on ten years of implementation, appraise innovations such as the Criminal Justice Reporting Portal, and collaborate on the development of a National Action Plan to further strengthen justice delivery across Nigeria.
The programme will feature four technical presentations, five plenary sessions, policy dialogues, and strategic roadmap discussions, culminating in a Stakeholders’ Communiqué and the publication of a comprehensive Symposium Report.
Preceding the main conference, a week of engaging pre-conference activities will highlight the unity and shared commitment of Nigeria’s justice community.
Events will commence with the eagerly anticipated JUSUN vs NBA Sports Competition – featuring football, chess, and scrabble, on Saturday, 15th November 2025, at the Turf Arena, River Plate Park, Central Area, Abuja leading us to a Jumaat Prayer on Friday, 21st November 2025.
A Church Thanksgiving will follow on Sunday, 23rd November, setting the stage for the Annual Conference of ACJMCs on Monday, 24th November 2025.
The Symposium is expected to draw over 400 physical participants, along with a broad virtual audience comprising policy-makers, heads of criminal justice institutions, judges, magistrates, prosecutors, Secretaries of the 36 State ACJMCs, law enforcement officers, members of the Nigerian Bar Association, and representatives of civil society and international partners.
Importantly, the programme is open to all Nigerian lawyers and will attract two (2) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points in line with the NBA Continuing Professional Development framework, providing an opportunity for participants to deepen their knowledge while fulfilling professional development requirements.
At its core, NSCJA 2025 represents far more than a commemoration of the ACJA’s tenth anniversary, it is a forward-looking movement aimed at sustaining and deepening reform in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
Key outcomes will include the adoption of a National Communiqué with an actionable policy brief, the official launch of the Criminal Justice Reporting Portal, the publication of the Symposium Report, and the strengthening of collaboration and knowledge-sharing among justice sector stakeholders.
As the countdown to the event begins, anticipation is building across Nigeria’s legal and justice communities.
The National Symposium on Criminal Justice Administration 2025, jointly organized by the ACJMC and the NBA-ICLE, promises to be a defining moment for justice reform, a convergence of ideas, innovation, and inspiration that will shape the next decade of criminal justice in Nigeria.
Stay tuned for speaker announcements, registration details, and partnership opportunities as we move closer to NSCJA 2025 in Abuja.
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