***Calls for Urgent Reform, As NILDS Turns a New Chapter
As Nigeria celebrates 26 years of democratic rule, the Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has cautioned that democracy may lose its legitimacy if it fails to embrace inclusion, evidence-based policymaking, and a citizen-centered approach.
Speaking at a media briefing on his six years stewardship, Prof. Sulaiman warned that Nigeria’s democratic credentials remain deeply flawed unless urgent reforms are made to expand civic participation and strengthen legislative capacity.
“We cannot continue to celebrate democracy when key segments of our society — women, young people, persons with disabilities — remain structurally excluded from governance,” he stated. “What we are practicing is far from the inclusive democracy we claim.”
A former Minister of National Planning and a respected voice in governance, Sulaiman said that while the National Assembly has made notable progress, including its amendment of the Electoral Act and contributions to business reforms, more must be done to ensure that laws are grounded in research and responsive to the needs of citizens.
“Legislation without knowledge leads to policy failure. That’s why we at NILDS are producing monthly Trust Situation Reports on security and undertaking strategic research to support the work of lawmakers,” he said.
He disclosed that the Institute is set to launch the first-ever Manual on Security Sector Oversight, providing lawmakers with a structured tool for interrogating and evaluating Nigeria’s security architecture.
Beyond legislative tools, Prof. Sulaiman stressed the importance of elite consensus in moving the country forward. He revealed that NILDS is expanding its focus to include political communication, party system reform, and pre-election analysis to enhance democratic engagement.
“Our democracy is not just about elections; it’s about institutions, inclusion, and integrity. Until we see deliberate reforms in these areas, democratic dividends will remain a distant dream for most Nigerians.”
He expressed concern that many of NILDS’s robust findings and research outputs are underutilized or ignored, calling for greater synergy between lawmakers, researchers, and the public.
Despite the weighty challenges, Prof. Sulaiman reaffirmed the Institute’s dedication to building a knowledge-driven legislature at all levels — one capable of addressing Nigeria’s complex development and security challenges.
“We do not just train lawmakers; we prepare them to govern with vision, with facts, and with the people in mind,” he concluded.
Since his appointment in 2019, Prof. Sulaiman—former Minister of National Planning—has reengineered NILDS from a modest support agency into a national powerhouse for legislative training, democratic research, and public policy innovation.
From launching Democracy Radio 104.9 and youth civic programs, to championing the Legislative Mentorship Initiative and opening the Institute’s Gender Unit, NILDS has expanded its role far beyond the National Assembly.
“This isn’t just a record of performance,” he told journalists. “It is a story of resilience, reinvention, and recommitment to the democratic process in Nigeria and beyond.”
And yet, for all these strides, the DG’s tone was far from celebratory. Speaking on the health of Nigeria’s democracy, Prof. Sulaiman was blunt: legitimacy is slipping.
One of NILDS’s flagship innovations under Sulaiman has been the production of monthly Trust Situation Reports to guide legislative responses on national security. The Institute is also set to unveil the first-ever Manual on Security Sector Oversight—a landmark tool to help lawmakers navigate the country’s complex and opaque security architecture.
“Legislation without knowledge leads to policy failure,” he noted. “That’s why we at NILDS invest in strategic research, not just training.”
This knowledge-focused transformation reached a new height in 2023 when NILDS moved to its permanent headquarters—a purpose-built complex inaugurated by former President Muhammadu Buhari. The DG also announced that NILDS has now adopted LegiPro, an AI-driven digital platform to streamline legislative services.
Inclusion remains a recurring theme in Sulaiman’s agenda pointing out that NILDS has pushed boundaries on gender-sensitive lawmaking, launched state-level advocacy for gender bills, and trained thousands of civil servants, legislative aides, and drafters.
“It has also expanded civic literacy programs for youth, including a nationwide quiz competition and internship schemes.
“It’s about ensuring that laws are not just passed but are lived—that they speak to the realities of the marginalized, the unemployed graduate, the disabled child, the small business owner,” he said.
He expressed concern that many of NILDS’s research outputs are either underutilized or ignored, urging greater synergy between researchers, lawmakers, and civil society.
Looking ahead, NILDS under Sulaiman plans to deepen its interventions in political communication, party system reform, and pre-election analysis—areas often neglected in democratic discourse. A new Strategic Plan (2025–2029) has been unveiled, positioning the Institute as a continental hub for democratic development in West Africa.