Senate has begun legislative moves to transform the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) into a full-fledged regional university to provide specialised training in legislative practice, democratic governance, and institutional development across West Africa.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, scaled First Reading during plenary on Wednesday, barely 48 hours after he announced plans to upgrade the institute into a university serving Nigeria and other member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The bill, titled West African University of Legislative Studies (Establishment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1087), seeks to establish an institution that would build on NILDS’ existing infrastructure and institutional capacity to provide specialised academic and professional training for legislators and other stakeholders in democratic governance across the sub-region.
Barau, who is also First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and Chairman of Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, announced his intention to sponsor the bill on Monday while representing President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, at the 10th Convocation Ceremony of the NILDS-University of Benin (UNIBEN) postgraduate programmes in Abuja.
At the ceremony, he disclosed he had begun discussions with Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, on the modalities for converting the institute into a full-fledged university.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, the deputy senate president said the proposed university would extend Nigeria’s contribution to democratic development and regional integration by admitting legislators and other relevant stakeholders from across West Africa.
Barau stated that NILDS had developed the infrastructure and institutional capacity required to support the proposed transformation, adding that its mandate could be expanded to serve the needs of the entire ECOWAS community.
“Going by the quality of infrastructure this great institute has acquired over the years, there is a need for it to be transformed into a full-fledged university,” he said.
The lawmaker said the initiative was also informed by Nigeria’s position within the regional bloc and its longstanding engagement in promoting cooperation among West African countries.
He stated, “I even told him that, as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Nigeria has always played a fatherly role within the ECOWAS community.
“Going by the structure of this great institute, it can serve not only Nigeria but the entire West African sub-region.”
Barau added, “The university should be named the West African Institute of Legislative Studies so that we can bring in legislators not only from Nigeria but also from all ECOWAS member states to study here.
“This would be a way of extending our role in uniting the people of West Africa,” he said.
The proposal would give NILDS a broader regional role, building on its existing focus on legislative research, capacity development, and democratic studies.
If enacted, the legislation would provide a framework for the establishment of a university dedicated to developing the knowledge and professional skills required for effective legislative practice and democratic governance.
Barau also pointed to the presence of key ECOWAS institutions in Nigeria as a strategic advantage for the country’s bid to host a regional university specialising in legislative studies.
He stated that ECOWAS Parliament, ECOWAS Commission, and ECOWAS Court of Justice were located in Nigeria, stating that the country is well positioned to host an institution that would serve the legislative and democratic development needs of the sub-region.
According to him, the proposed university would provide a platform for legislators and other stakeholders to deepen their understanding of law-making, democratic accountability, institutional development, and regional cooperation.
The deputy senate president expressed optimism that the National Assembly would pass the bill and that President Bola Tinubu would assent to it.
The bill’s passage through First Reading marks the initial stage of the legislative process. It would require further consideration by the senate and the completion of the necessary legislative procedures before it could become law.
The proposed transformation, if approved, would represent a significant expansion of NILDS’ institutional mandate, positioning it to serve as a regional centre for specialised education and capacity development in legislative and democratic studies.
Sunday Aborisade
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