NILDS Partners YIAGA AFRICA to Enhance Youth Participation in Governance

The Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has inaugurated a two-day Constituency Office Internship Programme (COIP) in collaboration with YIAGA AFRICA. The event, held today, December 5, 2024, in Abuja, aims to strengthen the connection between elected representatives and their constituents while fostering youth engagement in governance.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Professor Sulaiman emphasized the program’s significance in bridging the gap between lawmakers and the electorate. He highlighted the importance of equipping young people with practical governance skills through specialized training on effective constituency outreach strategies.

Describing the partnership between NILDS and YIAGA AFRICA as remarkable, the Director General acknowledged their joint effort in developing the Constituency Relations Manual, a resource tailored to enhance constituency engagement and improve legislative representation.

The workshop, which is the second in the series, brought together key stakeholders, including the Chairman of the House Committee on Constituency Outreach, Honourable Dickson Tarkighir. Participants were drawn from across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.
The program underscores NILDS’ commitment to promoting inclusive governance and empowering young Nigerians to actively participate in legislative processes and constituency development.