Senate has begun moves to transform the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) into a regional university dedicated to legislative studies and democratic governance across West Africa.
Gatekeepers News reports that the proposed legislation, titled the West African University of Legislative Studies (Establishment) Bill, 2026, with reference number SB. 1087, scaled first reading during plenary on Wednesday.
The bill is sponsored by Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, who said the proposed institution would build on NILDS’ existing infrastructure and institutional capacity to provide specialised education and training for legislators and other stakeholders across the West African sub-region.m
Barau had disclosed his intention to sponsor the bill on Monday while representing Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the 10th convocation ceremony of the NILDS–University of Benin postgraduate programmes in Abuja.
At the event, he said he had held discussions with NILDS Director-General, Abubakar Sulaiman, on the proposed transformation of the institute into a full-fledged university.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Barau said the institution would be named the West African University of Legislative Studies (WAULS).
He explained that the proposed university would provide a platform for legislators from Nigeria and other member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to acquire specialised knowledge and skills in legislative practice, democratic governance and institutional development.
Barau also cited Nigeria’s strategic position as host to key ECOWAS institutions, including the ECOWAS Parliament, ECOWAS Commission and ECOWAS Court of Justice, as an advantage in establishing a regional university focused on legislative capacity building.
According to him, the institution would strengthen legislative practice, promote democratic development and deepen regional integration by providing opportunities for legislators and other stakeholders across West Africa to learn and exchange experiences.
The deputy senate president expressed optimism that the National Assembly would pass the bill and that President Bola Tinubu would assent to it.
However, the bill has only passed its first reading and must undergo further legislative consideration before it can become law and the proposed university can be formally established.
