By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul
The House of Representatives Nigeria-Malta Friendship Group has sought the support of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) ahead of its proposed visit to Malta from December 1 to 6, 2026.
The chairman of the group, Mohammed Audu, made the request during a visit to the Institute’s management on Tuesday, November 3, saying the engagement would strengthen bilateral relations through legislative exchanges, institutional benchmarking and capacity development.
Audu explained that the group is seeking NILDS’ expertise in legislative research and parliamentary development.
He urged the institute to help document the group’s engagements, so future lawmakers could build on the work.
He identified comparative parliamentary procedures, joint research on governance, trade and investment, and strategies for improving legislative effectiveness as possible areas of cooperation.
Responding, the Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Suleiman, assured the delegation that the Institute would provide technical assistance and document the outcomes of the visit for future use by the National Assembly.
He, however, observed that the National Assembly had not fully utilised NILDS’ research expertise and institutional resources, despite the Institute’s mandate to support legislative activities.
Professor Suleiman commended the group for seeking closer collaboration with the Institute and described Malta as an important oil-producing country.
The DG urged lawmakers to strengthen their relationship with NILDS and use its experts for training, research and parliamentary engagements.
