Examining the Research Gap in Restorative Justice Applications in Nigerian Criminal Courts

Restorative justice practices including victim-offender mediation, community conferencing, and circle sentencing have been applied with documented effectiveness in multiple jurisdictions, but their systematic application within the Nigerian court system remains anecdotal and academically underexplored, representing a significant reform opportunity gap. This study examined the research gap in restorative justice applications in Nigerian criminal courts through systematic literature review and primary research. A systematic scoping review of ten databases identified only 19 publications from 2010 to 2024 specifically addressing restorative justice within Nigerian formal court contexts, compared with substantially larger literatures from South Africa, Ghana, and East African jurisdictions. Primary research comprised structured interviews with 20 magistrates and High Court judges, 12 prosecutors, and 8 defence lawyers across Lagos, Abuja, and Enugu courts, assessing their knowledge of, experience with, and attitudes toward restorative approaches. Results showed that 73.7 percent of judicial officers had no training in restorative justice principles. Victim-offender mediation was employed in fewer than 3 percent of minor offence cases. Community-based sentencing alternatives existed in three states but were rarely invoked. Positive attitudes toward restorative justice were expressed by 68.4 percent of judicial officers who had some awareness, suggesting implementation potential. The study identifies five priority research questions for Nigerian restorative justice development and recommends National Judicial Council restorative justice integration guidelines and training as immediate implementation priorities.

Keywords: restorative justice, Nigerian courts, victim-offender mediation, criminal justice reform, research gap