By Ibironke Ariyo
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Mrs Lucy Abagi, has called for a unified, multi-stakeholder effort to strengthen justice, security and governance systems for Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Abagi made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2025 Access to Justice Parley themed “Justice, Security and Governance: A United Agenda for Nigeria’s Sustainable Development.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event had in attendance judges, lawyers, security agencies, members of the diplomatic corps, development partners, Civil Society Organisations,(CSOs), pro-bono legal networks, law clinic coordinators, media and scholars.
In her remarks, Abagi said that the platform was created for ideas to translate into action and reforms.
She recalled that the first Access to Justice Parley held in 2023 made history by bringing together critical actors across the justice ecosystem to confront systemic barriers and launch key reform initiatives.
“The 2023 parley was a catalyst for the Court Administration and Case Management Project, and the second phase of the Reforming Pre-trial Detention in Nigeria Project.
“These initiatives came from the belief that justice must not only be done, but seen to be done efficiently, transparently and without delay,” she said.
Abagi said that the momentum continued in 2024, when stakeholders advanced innovative and inclusive reforms, strengthened legal aid access and deepened trust in justice institutions.
She stressed that justice reform was a continuous process requiring persistence, courage and collaboration across all sectors.
The CEO said that the 2025 theme reflected the urgent need for coherence and alignment among justice, governance and security institutions.
Abagi noted that sustainable development could not exist without fairness and rule of law.
“We cannot discuss peace and security without tackling injustice, exclusion and weak institutions,” she maintained.
She, however, described justice, security and governance as interconnected pillars that uphold national stability, strengthen public trust and enable economic opportunities.
Abagi also emphasised that justice delivery was the responsibility of all citizens and institutions, not only courts and lawyers.
She urged stakeholders to confront key issues such as: improving court efficiency, scaling digital innovation, reducing pre-trial detention, upholding human rights and strengthening collaboration between justice institutions and security agencies.
“These are not abstract questions, they are calls to action,” she said.
Abagi called for increased digital capacity, data-driven decision-making and technology-enabled reform in the justice and security sectors.
The PPDC CEO reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to providing evidence, platforms and partnerships to drive reform, saying the goal was to ensure justice remains the foundation of Nigeria’s future.
She expressed appreciation to the judiciary, Ministry of Justice, law enforcement agencies, civil society and international partners for supporting the reform agenda.
“As we continue this journey, let us turn dialogue into action and action into impact. Justice is not just a system, it is the heartbeat of our nation’s progress,”Abagi said.
Speaking, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, PPDC, Chibuzo Ekwekwuo, urged justice-sector stakeholders to shift from lamenting system challenges to focusing on practical solutions that improve court efficiency and access to justice.
Ekwekwuo said that while it was easy to criticise the justice system from outside, real improvement would come from active participation and problem-solving by those who operated within it.
According to him, the parley provides a platform for judges, prosecutors, lawyers, legal administrators and innovators to discuss internal issues honestly and design workable reforms.
He encouraged the judiciary and State Attorneys-General to challenge the PPDC technology team to build more solutions that address practical needs in courts and justice ministries.
The PPDC board chairman stressed that justice reforms must be sustained through collaboration, accountability and measurable progress.
“We must ask what we have achieved and what we still need to achieve. If we cannot measure it, we cannot achieve it,” he said.
