By Nasir Shuaibu (Bauchi State Correspondent)
The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) is set to convene a national conference on access to justice in November, following its facilitation of free legal representation for more than 20,000 detainees across Nigeria.
The two-day event, scheduled to hold at the Los Angeles Event Centre, Mabushi, Abuja, will bring together judges, legal practitioners, civil society organisations, technology innovators, security experts and citizens to discuss ways of improving access to justice in the country.
The Chief Executive Officer of PPDC, Lucy James Abagi, said the conference would combine the Access to Justice Parley with the Law for Humanity Summit under the theme, “Balancing Security with Fundamental Rights: Terrorism, Technology and Access to Justice.”
According to the centre, it has facilitated free legal representation for 20,009 detainees, while 8,552 people were released from detention without trial in 2025.
The conference is expected to examine measures to accelerate court proceedings, improve pre-trial processes and expand the use of technology in Nigeria's justice system.
Discussions will also focus on virtual court sessions, capacity building for judges, prosecutors and investigators, as well as the deployment of digital systems in custodial centres.
The Law for Humanity Summit, organised in partnership with the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, will examine whether technology can bridge the gap in access to justice.
The summit will feature a Law Clinic Showcase and Innovation Seed Grants of up to $1,500 for outstanding university law clinic projects.
Other activities include a town hall meeting where citizens will engage directly with judicial officers and law enforcement agencies, alongside panel discussions on national security, digital privacy and fundamental rights.
The programme will also feature testimonies from former detainees, creative performances and the presentation of PPDC's Access to Justice Impact Report. NNL.
