Ten startups have been selected as winners of the second round of JusticeTechNG 2025, Nigeria’s first national hackathon and accelerator programme focused on justice innovation, aimed at modernising the country’s justice system through technology.
Convened by the Special Assistant to the President on Justice Sector Reform and ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology, Fernandez Marcus-Obiene, the initiative is designed to address deep-rooted challenges in the justice sector through collaborative digital solutions.
The programme began with a three-day hackathon held from June 3 to 5, 2025, in Lagos, and is currently in its accelerator phase, which runs from June 10 to July 10. It will conclude with a Demo Day where finalists will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges comprising government officials, investors, and legal experts.
According to the organisers, over 80 submissions were received and evaluated by a 14-member panel comprising professionals from law, technology, civil society, and the private sector. The evaluation was based on relevance, eligibility, and innovation potential.
The selected teams are addressing key areas such as access to legal aid, court administration, crime prevention, prison reintegration, digital legal education, and justice sector transparency. Specific innovations include tools for rights awareness, digital court filing systems, legal data platforms, and solutions focused on improving justice access for women, children, and vulnerable populations.
The 10 startups will now participate in a four-week accelerator where they will receive mentorship, technical assistance, and policy exposure. They will also compete for ₦22 million in total prize support, including seed funding and opportunities for pilot implementation with government and civil society partners. The prize breakdown includes N10 million for the first-place team (N5m in cash and N5m in services), N7m for second place, and N5m for third.
Speaking at the opening of the program, Borno State Chief Judge, Justice Kashim Zannah, who also chairs the Judiciary Information Technology Committee of the National Judicial Council, underscored the importance of leveraging technology to bridge the access gap in Nigeria’s justice system.
“This initiative is timely and necessary. It is a step toward digitising our processes and delivering justice more efficiently and equitably,” Zannah said.
The program is supported by a high-level Advisory Board made up of leaders from the judiciary, academia, civic tech, legal practice, and public sector institutions. It reflects growing momentum within the Nigerian justice sector to adopt digital innovation as a core driver of institutional reform and service delivery.
Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Xchange Box, Abiola Jimoh, highlighted the significance of the Advisory Board in providing strategic direction and credibility to the programme.
“This is not just a hackathon. It’s a coordinated national push to build a pipeline of scalable solutions that can be tested, adopted, and scaled by justice institutions,” Jimoh said.
Chair of the Multidisciplinary Committee encouraged all participants to be prepared to face challenges.
“Building a business is tough, and it requires passion, dedication, and perseverance. I encourage all participants to be ready to face challenges and to keep pushing forward even when things get tough. We’ve been impressed by the quality of applications we’ve received, and we’re excited to support the top teams and help them scale their solutions to make a difference in the justice sector.”
Assistant Chief, High Court Division, Vivian Anozie, representing Honourable Justice Olayinka Faji, Administrative Judge, Federal High Court, Lagos Division, stated,
“This kind of event is exactly what we need in the justice sector, innovative solutions that can help us improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our courts. We’ve been working on the automation of our courts, including e-filing, and we’re excited to see the solutions that will be developed through this programme. I believe that technology has the power to transform our justice system and make it more accessible to all Nigerians.”
Managing Partner at Abass & Co, Mr Faruq Abass, emphasised the need for solutions that are scalable, easy to use, and capable of solving existing problems in the justice sector.
“The key ingredients of a successful platform in the justice sector include something that addresses the current challenges we face, is scalable, and is user-friendly,” Abass said.
He highlighted issues such as delays in the delivery of judgments and limited access to court documents and rulings.
