By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul
The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) is set to deepen efforts to build the capacity of lawmakers on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital governance.
Director-General of NILDS said the Institute would work with the Africa ICT Alliance (AFICTA) to identify gaps in legislation, advocacy and legislative oversight in emerging digital technologies.
He spoke in Abuja when an AFICTA delegation, led by its founder, Dr Jimson Olufuye, visited the Institute to explore areas of collaboration.
The Director-General said NILDS had a responsibility to help the legislature understand emerging technologies and ensure that Nigeria kept pace with global developments in digital governance.
He assured that the Institute would establish a six-member technical team, with three representatives from NILDS and three from AFICTA, to identify areas of collaboration and develop a framework within two weeks.
The proposed areas include capacity building for lawmakers, advocacy on emerging technologies and the development of legislative oversight tools for security-related sectors.
NILDS boss revealed that the institute was already pursuing digital transformation within its operations, including online applications and remote access to its library, and was seeking to extend the approach to legislative processes.
According to him, Nigeria cannot afford to remain outside global discussions on artificial intelligence and digital governance, given their growing impact on the economy, security and society.
Processor Sulaiman assured of the Institute’s readiness to work with AFICTA in strengthening legislative capacity and support Nigeria’s response to emerging digital challenges.
AFICTA founder Dr Jimson Olufuye said the organisation is seeking deeper collaboration with NILDS to support the domestication of internationally agreed digital governance frameworks in Nigeria.
He specifically cited the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection, known as the Malabo Convention, and called for further legislative action towards its full domestication .
Olufuye , also identified artificial intelligence regulation, cybersecurity, online child protection and internet governance as areas requiring stronger legislative attention.
AFICTA Chairman, Dr Segun olugbile , urged NILDS to strengthen capacity building for lawmakers, particularly in distinguishing cybersecurity from cybercrime and understanding emerging global frameworks on digital governance.
He maintained that stronger legislative and regulatory frameworks could also support investment and digital development by providing greater certainty for businesses and technology companies.
Edited by Julian Osamoto
