To modernise the country’s justice system, the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Justice Sector Reform and ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology, has launched JusticeTech Nigeria 2025, the nation’s first national hackathon and accelerator programme focused on justice innovation.

The initiative aims to tackle critical issues in court administration, access to justice and transparency by introducing technology-driven solutions developed by local innovators.

Speaking at the event, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, on Justice Sector Reform and ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology, Fernandez Marcus-Obiene described the initiative as a direct response to persistent gaps in the justice sector.

“It’s really about helping to find local solutions to local problems. There’s a disconnect between what the judiciary needs and what innovators think they should build. This programme bridges that gap,” Marcus-Obiene said.

Prior to the programme, tech innovators nationwide were invited to submit tailored pitches. Out of 82 entries received in under two weeks, 20 finalists were selected and invited for an intensive boot camp.

After several days of mentoring, training, and refining their business strategies, 10 top teams were chosen to move forward into the accelerator phase.

All finalists, Marcus-Obiene said, will gain continued access to mentorship, investor networks, and development resources. He explained that the accelerator programme is structured as a public-private partnership, with private-sector partners providing both funding and strategic support.

According to him, this structure is intended to sustain the initiative for the long term.“We’re not just giving out money, we are helping to build viable businesses.”

We’ll even hold a small stake in these startups to ensure alignment and provide ongoing support,” he explained.

Different stakeholders in the justice and technology sectors, including representatives from the Supreme Court, the National Judicial Council (NJC), LawPavilion, and private legal tech practitioners collaborated during the hackathon event.

Participants were trained on market entry strategies, business structuring, and effective pitching by experienced mentors, including judiciary officials and corporate leaders.

The judging panel for the hackathon finals included the administrative judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji; the General Counsel and Head of Risk for Junior Achievement West Africa (JA Africa), Adeola Olumeyan, among others.

The top 10 selected teams were Aurora, CivicEcho,CaseFlow, Nilas, Judicopy, Hack the Bar, Freeloya, AptResponse, WeSafe and PocketLawyer. PocketLawyer, led by CEO Ngozi Nwabueze, emerged as the overall winner for the Hackathon stage.

The startup is building a platform described as “Shopify for lawyers,” providing legal practitioners with the tools to digitise their services, expand client reach, and streamline operations.

Nwabueze emphasised the platform’s scalability beyond Nigeria, positioning it as a global product.

“We are empowering lawyers to go digital, serve more clients effectively, and have all the tools they need in one place,” Nwabueze said.

In total, N22 million in funding and support will be awarded to the top three winners in the accelerator stage. 1st Prize winners will pocket N10 million (N5 million cash + N5 million in resources). 2nd Prize winners earn N7 million (N4 million cash + N3 million in services), while the 3rd Prize winners take home N5 million (N3 million cash + N2 million in services).

Justice Faji emphasised the critical role of the legal sector in national development, stating that revitalising the justice system could resolve a significant portion of the country’s challenges.

“If we can get the legal sector working, we have solved about 60 per cent of the problem. There are so many talented young people in this country who are capable of standing on their own,” the judge said.

JusticeTech Nigeria 2025 is envisioned as a yearly programme, with plans to expand stakeholder engagement and deepen its impact across the justice ecosystem in the coming years.