Evaluation of Nigeria’s Criminal Justice Reform Initiatives Under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015

The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 represented the most significant federal criminal procedure reform in Nigeria's post-independence history, and professional evaluation of its implementation outcomes across the justice system provides important evidence for further reform and state-level adoption advocacy. This study evaluated the implementation outcomes of the ACJA 2015 in federal courts, NPF divisions, and correctional facilities across Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, representing the South West, North Central, and North West zones. A professional programme evaluation methodology was employed, combining documentary review of court efficiency statistics, correctional facility population data, and NPF charge and arrest records from 2016 to 2023, supplemented by structured interviews with 20 judges, 12 defence lawyers, 8 state counsel, and 6 correctional officers. Key ACJA provisions evaluated included pretrial detention limits, plea bargain procedures, victim rights provisions, and electronic court recording. Results showed that average trial duration in ACJA-compliant federal courts reduced from 31 to 19 months post-implementation. Plea bargaining utilisation increased from near zero to 12 percent of prosecuted cases. Pretrial detention limit compliance remained problematic, with 44 percent of reviewed cases exceeding ACJA timelines. Victim rights provisions were applied in fewer than 18 percent of eligible cases. The study recommends ACJA compliance performance management indicators for court administrators and accelerated state-level ACJA adoption through Attorney General coordination.

Keywords: ACJA, criminal justice reform, pretrial detention, Nigeria, justice system