CORRECTIONAL CENTERS AND INMATE'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING IN NIGERIA: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

In Nigeria, prison does not only help to keep offenders from the society, it ensures the
path to their reformation by improving on their potentials and subsequent change unto
better social functioning. It is also evident that training program in entrepreneurial skills
exists in most Nigerian prisons as part of the rehabilitation programme. Thus, this
research aims to validate factors affecting inmate's entrepreneurship training in Nigerian
prisons. This paper attempts to assess the path take by the Nigerian government towards
inmate's entrepreneurial training. The study used secondary data such as scholarly
articles, journals, text book, official documents. The study identified managerial and
social factors that can enhance the operations of entrepreneurial training programme in
Nigerians correctional centres and consequently rehabilitate the prisoners on discharge.
The paper also revealed that inmate's entrepreneurship training miracle in other countries
is an engine for job creation. It is therefore, recommended that Government (policy
makers) should genuinely recognize the essence of inmate's entrepreneurship to
economic development by initiating and sustaining policies that will help enhance
inmate's entrepreneurial development in Nigeria. Hence, Nigerian prison service will
have better understanding of the rehabilitation needs of the prisoners/inmates.