NILDS, Yakubu Gowon University Advance Plans for Four Undergraduate Degree Programmes

National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and Yakubu Gowon University, formerly University of Abuja have advanced discussions towards the formal affiliation and introduction of four undergraduate degree programmes aimed at strengthening specialised capacity in legislative, democratic and communication studies.

The development was disclosed during a visit by a delegation from the University of Abuja to the Institute on Monday as part of the ongoing process for the proposed academic collaboration and resource verification by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The four programmes are B.Sc. Election and Democratic Studies; B.Sc. Legislative Studies and Policy Analysis; B.Sc. Strategic Communication and Official Reporting; and B.Sc. Legislative Studies and Administration. The programmes are to be domiciled in the relevant faculties of the University of Abuja, while NILDS will provide the specialised academic support required for their delivery.

Speaking during the engagement, the Director of Academic Planning, University of Abuja, Prof. Ata Otaki Alanana, explained that the University Senate had considered and approved the proposed affiliation following due process.

He disclosed that the approval was granted at the University Senate’s 195th Regular Meeting held on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, following a submission initiated by the University’s Faculty of Social Sciences and NILDS for the joint running of the specialised programmes.

Prof. Alanana explained that, in line with the approval process, the University had written to the NUC requesting resource verification, approval of the affiliation and the conduct of the required Curriculum, Course, Module and Assessment (CCMA) component of the proposed programmes.

He noted that the letter was forwarded to the NUC on 10 August 2026, adding that the University was awaiting feedback from the Commission on the next stage of the process.

According to him, the NUC resource verification would determine critical components of the programmes, including course credit units, students’ credit-load requirements and other academic requirements necessary for the eventual graduation of students.

Prof. Alanana explained that while the University of Abuja would award the degrees, NILDS’ specialised academic expertise and institutional support would form an important part of the collaboration.

The proposed B.Sc. Election and Democratic Studies and B.Sc. Legislative Studies and Policy Analysis will be domiciled in the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences; B.Sc. Strategic Communication and Official Reporting in the Department of Development and Strategic Communication, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies; while B.Sc. Legislative Studies and Administration will be domiciled in the Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences.

Responding to the development, the Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to capacity building and the development of specialised academic programmes that respond to Nigeria’s legislative and democratic needs.

Prof. Sulaiman noted that the proposed collaboration, which began as an idea about two years ago, had now progressed into a concrete institutional partnership, describing the development as evidence of the value of sustained collaboration between NILDS and the University of Abuja.

He stressed that NILDS’ commitment to capacity building extends beyond conventional academic programmes, noting that the Institute already runs specialised programmes at the Master’s and Ph.D. levels designed to address specific professional and institutional needs.

The Director General further highlighted the relevance of the partnership to the development of specialised human capacity, particularly in areas connected to legislative practice, democratic governance and official reporting.

He referenced a recent engagement involving verbatim reporters from the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, noting the importance of collaboration with academic institutions in strengthening professional capacity in specialised fields.

The engagement was attended by representatives of the University of Abuja, including the Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Ata Otaki Alanana, and the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Mutiullahi Adebayo Olasupo, alongside representatives of the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies and the Faculty of Management Sciences.

The engagement underscored the commitment of both institutions to advancing the affiliation process and establishing specialised undergraduate programmes that will contribute to capacity development in legislative studies, democratic governance, public administration and strategic communication.