Architecting justice: Exploring a blueprint for solving Nigeria’s criminal data challenges

By Uchenna Victor Moses

“Many criminal convictions go unrecorded,” she noted, potentially weakening sentencing and national crime tracking (The Nation, 16 Dec 2024).

This challenge presents risks that could impact justice delivery, fairness, and national security. Without a connected system, law enforcement officers may arrest suspects without access to complete case histories. Courts may unknowingly sentence repeat offenders as first-timers, while victims and cases may be lost between ministries and agencies.

According to a 2024 Premium Times report by Oluwole Ojewale and Tosin Osasona, even data on kidnapping cases is often incomplete or unavailable.

This situation is not due to technological complexity alone but may reflect the absence of a clear and unified structure to support these systems.

Observing Infrastructure Challenges in Justice Systems

Based on professional experience in secure infrastructure projects within regulated digital environments, I offer these reflections purely as an independent digital advocate and researcher. I have observed in other contexts how structured, secure data systems can support more effective governance and justice outcomes when implemented responsibly and ethically.

In these observations, I have encountered environments where fragmented justice data systems limited the ability of agencies to collaborate or operate securely. The situation Nigeria faces appears similar to challenges seen in other regions, where disconnected data, inconsistent sharing protocols, and the absence of secure communications between justice agencies created operational gaps.

These reflections are informed by delivery experience under strict data protection regulations, public sector governance frameworks, and legal compliance standards. While these learnings are not presented as direct blueprints for Nigeria, they may offer valuable insights that could inform Nigeria’s unique context and journey.

The systems I have supported in these environments have addressed similar data-sharing challenges securely, enabling better collaboration, accountability, and responsiveness. Such experiences suggest approaches that Nigeria might explore if aligned carefully to its national governance and legal frameworks.

Understanding the Problem in Nigeria

Today, justice agencies in Nigeria operate independently, each maintaining its own records—police, prosecutors, correctional services—without a unified view of a person’s complete criminal record.

This contributes to:

Missing conviction records

Arresting individuals who may already have been sentenced elsewhere

Cases duplicated or lost across states and agencies

Delays in justice delivery

Inaccurate crime data undermining national security policies

These challenges may compromise the credibility, efficiency, and fairness of the justice system.

The Federated Justice Data Protocol (FJDP) — A Conceptual Approach

As part of my ongoing independent research, I have explored the Federated Justice Data Protocol (FJDP), a conceptual framework which may offer insights into supporting secure, collaborative data sharing between justice agencies while preserving autonomy and respecting local laws and ethics.

This model proposes:

Secure Data Exchange Points – Digital routes enabling case information transfer between authorised agencies.

Role-Based Access Control – Access granted strictly based on professional roles.

Insider Risk Monitoring Systems – Tools to detect unauthorised access or suspicious activities.

Resilient Cloud-Based Infrastructure – Systems designed to handle critical workloads securely and reliably.

Each of these components would need to be adapted carefully to Nigeria’s data protection laws, system audit protocols, and cyber resilience frameworks.

Strategic Reflections for Nigeria

Drawing from observed experiences in secure data infrastructure delivery, I see a pathway where Nigeria’s justice system might explore steps such as:

Linked Criminal Intelligence Systems:

Allowing agencies to contribute data points to a common national view while retaining control of their databases.

Case Tracking Systems:

Creating tools that enable cases to be tracked from arrest through to court decision and parole.

Clear Digital Access Rules:

Defining who can access or edit case data, based on strict permissions and roles.

Secure Chain of Custody for Digital Evidence:

Tracking every access and modification made to digital evidence.

Justice Cloud Infrastructure:

Migrating case management systems into secure, resilient cloud platforms.

Encrypted Messaging Platforms:

Establishing secure, encrypted channels for case discussions beyond email.

National Justice Data Training Corps:

Building capacity by training officers, clerks, and analysts in digital data ethics, security, and handling.

National Justice Interoperability Council (NJIC):

Setting up a permanent body to oversee standards, coordinate agencies, and ensure justice data interoperability.

Learning from Global Models

Similar challenges have been tackled by other nations:

Estonia developed a digital backbone unifying national records.

South Africa rolled out a digital court case management system.

The United States implemented the NIEM framework to enable secure justice data sharing across agencies.

Each of these models was tailored carefully to their unique national systems and legal environments, offering valuable learnings that Nigeria might consider.

Commitment to Responsible Justice Innovation

Justice delivery depends not only on sound laws but also on the systems and people that uphold them.

I have observed how empowered agencies, when equipped with the right systems and governance structures, can collaborate, share critical data, and act with greater accountability.

Nigeria may have the capacity to explore such transformations. A coordinated structure could support agencies to connect through clear, secure processes and modern technology.

Through my independent research on the Federated Justice Data Protocol (FJDP), I continue to explore and advocate for discussions around a Made-in-Africa federated data governance model that may allow justice agencies to collaborate securely while respecting sovereignty, ethics, and privacy.

I also encourage Africa’s tech entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors to recognise LegalTech and CrimeTech as critical frontiers where AI-powered, privacy-first platforms could transform justice delivery, crime data interoperability, and cross-border collaboration.

All views expressed in this article are entirely personal and do not represent the official position of any government, agency, or employer.

Uchenna Victor Moses is a digital advocate, independent AI policy researcher, and thought leader on federated data and justice system governance.