Deputy Senate President disclosed that he had commenced consultations with the Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, on the proposed transformation of the institute into a full-fledged university
By Mmesoma Onwuka
The Senate has taken the first legislative step towards transforming the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) into a regional university following the first reading of a bill sponsored by Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin.
The bill, titled West African University of Legislative Studies (Establishment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1087), was read for the first time during Wednesday’s plenary session.
The development comes two days after Barau announced plans to introduce the legislation at the 10th Convocation Ceremony of the NILDS University of Benin (UNIBEN) Postgraduate Programmes in Abuja on Monday, where he represented Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio.
At the ceremony, the Deputy Senate President disclosed that he had commenced consultations with the Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, on the proposed transformation of the institute into a full-fledged university.
According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, the proposed institution would be known as the West African University of Legislative Studies (WAULS).
Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said the proposed university would build on NILDS’ existing infrastructure and expertise to strengthen legislative development, democratic governance and regional cooperation.
He explained that the institution would expand access to specialised academic programmes beyond Nigeria, providing lawmakers and other stakeholders from member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with opportunities for professional training.
The Deputy Senate President also cited Nigeria’s strategic position as host to the ECOWAS Parliament, ECOWAS Commission and ECOWAS Court of Justice as an advantage in establishing a regional institution dedicated to legislative capacity building.
According to him, the proposed university would equip legislators and other stakeholders across West Africa with the knowledge and skills needed for effective lawmaking, democratic governance and institutional development.
Barau expressed confidence that the National Assembly would approve the bill and that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would subsequently assent to it.
The passage of the bill through first reading marks an initial step in the legislative process. Further consideration by the National Assembly would be required before the proposed university could be formally established.