NGIJ Moves to Partner NILDS on Legislative Reporting, Democratic Accountability
Oru Leonard
The Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ), has initiated moves to establish a strategic partnership with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) aimed at enhancing legislative reporting, strengthening democratic accountability, and promoting evidence-based journalism in Nigeria.
The proposal was unveiled during a courtesy visit by an NGIJ delegation led by its President, Abdulrahman Aliagan, to the Institute’s headquarters in Abuja.
Director-General of NILDS, Abubakar O. Suleiman, was represented at the meeting by the Director of Legal Services, Ibrahim Danwanka. Also present were the Special Adviser to the DG on Media, Muhammad Abdulkadir, and the Director of Information, Emmanuel Atakpo.
Speaking during the engagement, Aliagan described the visit as a deliberate effort to foster synergy between investigative journalism and legislative research institutions. He commended Suleiman’s leadership for positioning NILDS as a leading centre for legislative studies and democratic governance in Africa.
“This visit is not merely ceremonial—it is deeply strategic. NGIJ and NILDS share a common vision of strengthening democracy, promoting accountability, and deepening good governance in Nigeria,” he said.
Aliagan noted that while NILDS advances governance through research and legislative capacity development, NGIJ complements these efforts with investigative journalism and public-interest reporting. He highlighted the Guild’s Governance Assessment Visits across states including Kogi, Bayelsa, Ondo, Kwara, Osun, and Kaduna, noting their impact on public discourse and accountability at the subnational level.
He further outlined areas of proposed collaboration, including training on legislative processes, joint research and publications, policy dialogues, data sharing, and fellowship programmes for journalists and researchers.
The NGIJ President also disclosed plans to host the Dele Giwa Memorial Annual Lecture on Investigative Journalism in June, as part of activities marking Democracy Day. He invited Suleiman to serve as keynote speaker and requested the use of NILDS’ auditorium for the event.
Responding on behalf of the Director-General, Danwanka described the proposal as timely and beneficial to national development. He commended NGIJ’s commitment to accountability journalism and emphasised the importance of specialised knowledge in legislative reporting.
“If there is any institution journalists need to collaborate with, it is NILDS. Legislative reporting requires specialised knowledge that many journalists currently lack,” he said.
Danwanka explained that NILDS, established by an Act of Parliament in 2011 and expanded in 2017, has grown significantly under Suleiman’s leadership, increasing its departments from four to eleven while expanding its national and continental reach.
He added that the Institute currently provides research and capacity-building support to legislatures across West Africa and beyond, including countries such as Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ghana, and Togo.
Assuring the NGIJ delegation of the Institute’s willingness to consider the proposals, Danwanka said all requests—including collaboration frameworks, facility use, and the keynote invitation—would be forwarded for necessary action.
The meeting concluded with both organisations expressing optimism about formalising the partnership, with a shared commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and improving governance through knowledge-driven journalism.
“This engagement marks the beginning of a sustainable partnership that will advance legislative excellence and investigative journalism in Nigeria,” Danwanka added.
