By: Julian Adetinuyo
The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, has recorded a sharp rise in postgraduate enrollment, with two hundred and forty-four students matriculated for the twenty twenty-four to twenty twenty-five academic session — a nearly ninety percent increase compared to the previous year.
Speaking at the matriculation ceremony in Abuja, Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, said the surge in enrollment reflects the growing relevance of legislative and democratic studies in nation-building.
He attributed the rise to “improved program quality, strong leadership support from the National Assembly, enhanced collaboration with the University of Benin, and better funding from the Federal Government through the Ministry of Education.”
Professor Sulaiman also announced that a one-thousand-seat auditorium dedicated to seminars on democracy and governance is nearing completion, part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s legislative institutions.
Highlighting the importance of human capital development, the Director-General stressed that “investments in postgraduate education are critical to consolidating democratic governance in Nigeria.”
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Bright Omoregie, urged the new students to uphold the ideals of diligence, discipline, and scholarship.
He advised them to fully engage with the faculty, saying, “The core objective of NILDS is to promote the ideals of an egalitarian society through continuous academic discourse aligned with global best practices.”
Professor Omoregie, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, reaffirmed UNIBEN’s commitment to producing graduates who are, “worthy in character and learning,” in line with the university’s motto, which is Knowledge and Service.
