Department of Justice and Attorney-General

What Department of Justice and Attorney-General does

The Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) is the primary legal body of the Government of Papua New Guinea, constitutionally mandated to provide state legal services, administer justice, coordinate crime prevention, and uphold the rule of law. Headquartered at Vulupindi Haus and WNB Haus in Waigani, Port Moresby, DJAG operates a portfolio of statutory and constitutional offices including the Office of the State Solicitor, Office of the Solicitor General, Office of the Public Trustee, Public Prosecutor, Public Solicitor, and Constitutional Law Reform Commission. The department serves as the central legal advisor to the Government, handles state litigation, issues legal clearances, and manages legislative reform coordination.

DJAG's most significant operational asset is the Village Courts and Land Mediation network, comprising 14,496 courts covering approximately 90% of Papua New Guinea and staffed by 15,000+ officials who apply customary mediation and conflict-resolution methods under the Village Courts Act 1989. Additional justice administration services include Juvenile Justice (Juvenile Justice Act 2014), Probation Services (Probation Amendment Act 2019), and Parole Services (Parole Act 1991), which produce pre-sentence and pre-parole reports for the courts and Correctional Service of PNG. Supporting divisions handle Legal Policy and Governance, Human Rights (Strategic Plan 2024-2029), Crime Prevention, Oceans Affairs, and the Law and Justice Sector Secretariat coordinating cross-agency programs.

The department is funded entirely through national government budget appropriations with no commercial revenue model; services are provided free of charge to citizens and state entities. DJAG generates revenue indirectly via supplementary development partner funding, including a K110 million EU grant, the Spotlight Initiative, and the Australia-PNG Law and Justice Partnership (APLJ), which supported 227 activities benefiting 9,500+ people in a single year. With 148 core employees coordinating this nationwide network and a leadership team headed by Secretary Dr. Eric Kwa under Minister Hon. Pila Ninigi, DJAG distributes services through central offices in Waigani, provincial and district offices, the Village Courts network, online service request forms, and phone/email contact channels.

Name

Department of Justice and Attorney-General

Legal name

Department of Justice & Attorney General

Website

https://justice.gov.pg

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Department of Justice and Attorney-General of Papua New Guinea is the constitutional primary legal body providing state legal services, litigation representation, and justice administration — coordinating a network of 14,496 Village Courts covering 90% of the country and serving the Government, judiciary, and citizens of PNG.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Legal and Justice Administration

NAICS

Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922), Courts (92211), Parole Offices and Probation Offices (92215)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAFAK

Judicial Oversight, Sentencing & Parole Boards

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)

SECONDARYBPAIABAE

State/Provincial Courts & Judicial Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIABAF

State/Provincial Corrections, Probation & Parole Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

Keywords

• Government legal services
• Justice administration
• Village court mediation
• Probation parole services
• Estate administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Waigani

HQ country

Papua New Guinea

HQ region

Oceania

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: DJAG is a government department funded through national budget allocations and public finances. Services are provided to citizens as part of government mandate without direct user fees.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) is the primary legal body of the Government of Papua New Guinea, delivering state legal services (legal advice, clearance, and litigation), justice administration (Village Courts, Land Mediation, Probation, Parole, Juvenile Justice), estate and trustee services, human rights coordination, crime prevention, and legal policy advice to the state and citizens.

Product overview

The Department of Justice & Attorney General (DJAG) operates as a multi-service government department providing legal services, justice administration, and regulatory oversight across Papua New Guinea. The portfolio consists of core legal services (Office of the State Solicitor, Office of the Solicitor General, Office of the Public Trustee), justice administration services (Village Courts & Land Mediation, Juvenile Justice, Probation, Parole), policy and coordination divisions (Legal Policy & Governance, Law & Justice Sector Secretariat, Crime Prevention), and supporting corporate functions (ICT Division, Human Resources, Finance). Key initiatives include the PILON regional network, PILON 2025 legal digitization program, and the Village Courts system covering 90% of the country with over 14,000 courts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Office of the State Solicitor Provides legal advice, clearance services, and contract review for the State, its agencies and instrumentalities. Prepares and issues letters of legal clearance and Certificate of Necessity on proposed legislations.
• Office of the Solicitor General Provides expert legal representation and advocacy services for the State in all courts and tribunals. Handles constitutional and legal matters, appeals management, and strategic litigation oversight.
• Office of the Public Trustee Provides professional administration of estates, trusts, and guardianship services. Handles intestate deceased estates administration, will preparation and storage, and asset protection for beneficiaries, minors, and vulnerable persons.
• Village Courts and Land Mediation Secretariat Administers 14,496 Village Courts throughout Papua New Guinea covering approximately 90% of the country. Provides community-based justice services using customary mediation and conflict-resolution methods under the Village Courts Act 1989.
• Juvenile Justice Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Village Courts cover 90% of Papua New Guinea with 14,496 courts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jiwaka Provincial GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025DJAG and Jiwaka Provincial Government signed MoU to establish first-ever Solicitor General Branch Office in Minj, improving access to legal services and strengthening State representation in Jiwaka Province.
• Pacific Islands Law Officers' Network (PILON)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025PNG successfully hosted 44th PILON Annual Meeting with 90+ participants from Pacific region. Secretary Dr. Eric Kwa took chairmanship from Fiji for 2025-2026 term, strengthening regional legal cooperation.
• Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute (PACLII)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025PNG signed agreement with PACLII and presented AUS$50,000 (K150,000) as first installment of five-year commitment during 44th PILON meeting. PACLII is initiative of University of South Pacific collecting and publishing legal materials from 20 Pacific Island Countries.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025DJAG signed renewed MoU with IOM focusing on justice and migration governance. Key areas include Village Courts Policy, crime prevention, and institutional strengthening.
• Australia-PNG Law and Justice Partnership (APLJ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Strategic partnership supporting law and justice sector development. In one year, APLJ supported 227 activities and directly benefited more than 9,500 people. Co-chaired governance meetings with DJAG Deputy Secretary Stanley Raka reviewing program activities.
• World Bank GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PNG Secretary Dr. Eric Kwa presented PNG's justice reform agenda at the World Bank Group 2026 Fragility Forum in Washington DC, urging development partners to work through government systems rather than parallel mechanisms.
• PNG Centre for Judicial ExcellenceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Jointly conducted Basic Mediation Skills Course (20-24 July) to strengthen access to justice, reduce court delays, and improve mediation capacity.
• Technical Working Committee (Human Rights)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Multi-agency technical working committee coordinated by Human Rights Secretariat to develop Strategic Plan on Human Rights 2024-2029 and advance establishment of National Human Rights Commission.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fiji Office of the Attorney-General: Fiji's national legal body providing state legal services, constitutional advisory, and PILON member. Most directly comparable Pacific peer to DJAG in mandate and regional cooperation role.
• Vanuatu Office of the Attorney-General: Vanuatu's national AG office providing state legal services and PILON member. Closely comparable small Pacific jurisdiction peer to DJAG in function and scale.
• Samoa Office of the Attorney General: Samoa's small Pacific Islands AG office providing state legal representation and PILON member. Comparable in scale, jurisdiction type, and customary-law integration with DJAG.

Broad incumbents

• UK Ministry of Justice: UK ministry responsible for courts, prisons, probation, and legal aid. Comparable to DJAG across its probation, parole, and justice administration portfolio.
• Canadian Department of Justice: Canadian federal department providing legal services to government, criminal justice policy, and courts support. Comparable in providing comprehensive state legal services and policy leadership.
• United States Department of Justice: Federal US department providing legal advice, litigation, law enforcement coordination, and crime prevention. Functionally analogous in scope and breadth of legal and justice-administration responsibilities.
• Singapore Attorney-General's Chambers: Singapore's AG Chambers handling state legal services, civil and criminal litigation, and international legal cooperation. Functionally comparable as a state legal services and litigation body.
• Australian Attorney-General's Department: Australia's federal ministry providing legal advice to government, constitutional advisory, and international law cooperation. Closely comparable to DJAG in function (state legal services, international engagement) and a key development partner.
• New Zealand Ministry of Justice: Pacific-rim justice ministry responsible for courts, legal aid, policy, and probation services. Comparable as a national ministry delivering a similar portfolio of legal and justice administration services to DJAG.

Others

• Pacific Islands Law Officers' Network (PILON): Pacific regional network chaired by DJAG Secretary since 2025 connecting 20+ Pacific Island Countries' law officers. Adjacent ecosystem organization rather than a competitor, but central to DJAG's regional engagement strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-justice-attorney-general-png

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department of Justice and Attorney-General