By Anayo Akwiti
A bill seeking to transform the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) into a regional university serving Nigeria and other West African countries has scaled first reading in the Senate.
The bill, sponsored by Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, is titled *West African University of Legislative Studies (Establishment) Bill, 2026* (SB. 1087).
It passed first reading during plenary on Wednesday, 48 hours after Barau announced plans to sponsor the legislation.
Barau unveiled the proposal on Monday at the 10th convocation ceremony of the NILDS–University of Benin postgraduate programmes in Abuja.
He said he had begun discussions with NILDS Director-General, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, on modalities for converting the institute into a full-fledged university.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Barau said the proposed university would build on NILDS’ existing infrastructure and institutional capacity.
He said the institution would strengthen legislative practice, democratic governance and regional integration by providing specialised training for legislators and other stakeholders across West Africa.
Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said Nigeria’s strategic position, including hosting the ECOWAS Parliament, Commission and Court of Justice, made it suitable for the regional institution.
He expressed optimism that the National Assembly would pass the bill and President Bola Tinubu would assent to it.
