PPDC Warns Against AI-Controlled Decisions in Justice System

The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has warned against allowing artificial intelligence (AI) to determine decisions that could deprive individuals of their freedom.

The organisation said human judgment must remain central to Nigeria’s justice system, particularly in matters involving fundamental rights and personal liberty.

It gave the warning at the third Access to Justice Parley and Law for Humanity Summit 2026, held in Abuja recently.

The summit, themed “Justice in the Age of Data and AI”, brought together stakeholders to examine the growing use of data and artificial intelligence in the administration of justice.

Delivering the keynote address, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muyiwa Tola Atoyebi, said AI could improve judicial processes but must not replace human responsibility.

He argued that decisions affecting personal liberty and fundamental rights must undergo human review, with clear accountability and effective oversight.

“Technology can inform a decision, but it must never quietly become the decision,” he said.

Atoyebi maintained that every AI-assisted decision affecting an individual’s freedom, livelihood or rights must have an identifiable human official responsible for reviewing and approving the outcome.

“No algorithm should be the last signature on an order that seeks to deprive somebody of freedom,” he said.

He also called for transparency in the procurement and deployment of AI systems across courts and other justice institutions.

According to him, authorities must ensure that such technologies remain open to scrutiny and provide understandable explanations for their recommendations.

“If we cannot explain how a system reached a recommendation, we have no business allowing it near our courtroom, and we have to be very, very careful,” he said.

While acknowledging AI’s potential to improve legal research, reduce administrative delays and strengthen evidence management, Atoyebi warned against sacrificing fairness, privacy and human dignity.

He urged law schools, legal clinics and continuing legal education institutions to incorporate data and AI literacy into legal training.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of PPDC, Lucy James Abagi, called for stronger collaboration among justice sector institutions to address persistent barriers to access to justice.

She said meaningful reforms required the collective efforts of the judiciary, legal practitioners, law enforcement agencies, correctional services, government institutions and civil society organisations.

Abagi also presented PPDC’s 2026 Justice Sector Assessment, which examined the performance of justice institutions across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The report identified major gaps in legal aid funding, case management and compliance with criminal justice legislation.

It showed that 75 per cent of responding institutions lacked adequate funding for legal aid.

The assessment also recorded a decline in perceived compliance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and related state laws, from 94.4 per cent in 2025 to 78.5 per cent in 2026.

Similarly, the proportion of institutions without formal case management policies increased from 31.9 per cent to 39 per cent.

However, the report recorded improvements in institutional capacity development and technology adoption.

Participation in training programmes rose from 59.1 per cent to 80 per cent, while technology adoption increased from 64 per cent to 68 per cent.

It stressed that investments in digital infrastructure must go hand in hand with staff training and clear institutional policies.

The assessment also highlighted disparities among states and institutions, noting that the FCT recorded a 100 per cent gap in formal case management policies and legal aid funding.

Despite the shortcomings, PPDC reported progress through its legal aid interventions, which have supported more than 350 pro bono lawyers.

The interventions secured legal representation for 23,909 detainees at police stations and facilitated the handling of more than 18,000 cases involving children and other persons in custody.

They also contributed to more than 8,500 bail grants and a reported 93 per cent success rate under the PBSSK initiative.

Abagi said the figures represented people whose freedom and future depended on access to timely legal assistance.

“Behind these figures are people whose liberty, dignity and future depend on timely access to justice,” she said.

She explained that PPDC’s interventions focused on prolonged detention, access to legal representation, court administration and the digital transformation of justice institutions.

Abagi urged stakeholders to deploy technology in ways that strengthen legal representation, improve case management and prevent unnecessary detention.

“Our ambition must be clear, not simply for a digital justice system, but a justice system that works better for humanity,” she said.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Aliyu Bagudu Abubakar, represented by Bamidilee Ibikunle of the Technical Adviser’s Office, called for a coordinated approach to technology-driven justice delivery.

He said justice institutions must establish effective safeguards and ethical guidelines to protect citizens as they adopt digital technologies.

“Behind every data point in a database is a human life, a family waiting and a presumption of innocence that must be fiercely protected,” he said.

Abubakar urged stakeholders to use data not merely to assess institutional performance but also to improve justice delivery and protect citizens’ rights.