The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, has thrown a sharp spotlight on Nigeria’s expensive habit of sending legislators overseas for training — just as 23 Senators and House Members prepare to jet off for another foreign programme in two weeks.

Speaking at a workshop for ECOWAS Parliament staff in Abuja, Prof. Sulaiman questioned the value of these high-priced trips, which he said often lack local relevance. “All that they taught us there lacked local content. It is of no relevance. We have the resource persons, we have the resources, we have what it takes here,” he insisted, without disclosing the trip’s cost but calling it hefty. Instead, Sulaiman is positioning NILDS as Africa’s legislative training powerhouse.

The institute, already trusted by parliaments from Malawi to Uganda, will launch an Advanced Executive Education Programme in Abuja this October — blending African expertise with international prestige through collaborations with Harvard and Cambridge.
“If people want dollars, we’ll charge in dollars. If it’s white faces, we’ll collaborate with them — but the training will happen here,” he declared.

The DG lamented that, although Nigeria’s National Assembly has some independence, state legislatures remain financially dependent on the executive, undermining democracy. He also called for parliaments to assume a greater role in diplomatic and multilateral affairs, beyond just the executive branch.

With funding still inadequate and the appeal of Western programmes strong, Sulaiman’s challenge is clear: make Abuja the continent’s premier centre for legislative excellence — and demonstrate that Africa can train its leaders without always having to board a plane.