NILDS DG advocates capacity building for accessing global research funds

The Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has expressed concern over the inability of Nigerian institutions of higher learning to effectively access global research funds. He described the trend as unacceptable, given the vast opportunities available for funding critical research.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day in-house training on Grants Proposal Writing for NILDS staff, organized by the Department of Economic and Social Research (DESR) in Abuja, Professor Sulaiman highlighted Nigeria’s underperformance in leveraging global funds. He cited the $12.8 billion United Nations-backed funding to support developing countries in addressing climate change, noting that Nigeria lags behind countries like Kenya and Rwanda in accessing these resources.

Drawing on his experience as a former Minister of National Planning, Professor Sulaiman referenced a recent global assessment indicating that no Nigerian institution ranks among the top 30 in attracting research grants. He attributed this gap to the lack of capacity for developing competitive and standard research proposals.

The training, he said, is aimed at addressing this challenge by equipping NILDS staff with the skills necessary to craft high-quality grant proposals capable of competing globally. He urged participants to focus on the thematic details of the training to enhance their expertise in grant proposal writing.

Professor Olaniyi Oyinlola, Acting Director of the DESR, emphasized the critical link between research, national development, and the ability to attract external funding. He noted that the training aligns with NILDS’ commitment to fostering skills that contribute to institutional growth and the nation’s development goals.
This workshop is the second in a series initiated under the current NILDS leadership to build capacity and position Nigerian researchers to better access global funding opportunities.