Senate has begun legislative moves to transform the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) into a full-fledged regional university to provide specialised training in legislative practice, democratic governance, and institutional development across West Africa.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, scaled First Reading during plenary on Wednesday.

The bill, titled West African University of Legislative Studies (Establishment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1087), seeks to establish an institution that would build on NILDS’ existing infrastructure and institutional capacity to provide specialised academic and professional training for legislators and other stakeholders in democratic governance across the sub-region.

Barau, who is also First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and Chairman of Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, announced his intention to sponsor the bill on Monday while representing President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, at the 10th Convocation Ceremony of the NILDS-University of Benin (UNIBEN) postgraduate programmes in Abuja.

At the ceremony, he disclosed he had begun discussions with Director-General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, on the modalities for converting the institute into a full-fledged university.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, the deputy senate president said the proposed university would extend Nigeria’s contribution to democratic development and regional integration by admitting legislators and other relevant stakeholders from across West Africa.

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of the President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) and Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, Eze Anaba, and 15 other nominees to the governing board of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The NHRC is mandated to promote and protect human rights, investigate alleged violations and encourage compliance with national and international human rights standards.

The confirmation followed the consideration of a report presented today by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN, APC, Ondo Central).

The Senate also confirmed Dr Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman as chairman of the board and Dr Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) as Executive Secretary.

Other confirmed nominees are Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Edmund Chinonye, Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, Otunba Francis Meshioye, Patience Patrick Udoh and Hawwa Ibrahim.

President Bola Tinubu had in April written to the Senate, seeking the screening and confirmation of the nominees as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s human rights protection framework.

The letter was read on the floor of the Senate by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

In the letter, Tinubu sought the reconstitution of the commission’s governing board in line with statutory provisions.

The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board, subject to Senate confirmation.

The nominees were drawn from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.

Lagos| Pic: Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Kemi Omotosho, flank by other executives after the press briefing held at the company’s headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos.

MultiChoice Nigeria, a CANAL+ company, has structured it’s DStv and GOtv channels saying that they are aimed at giving subscribers more choice and better value through packages tailored to their viewing preferences.

Under the new structures scheduled to take effect on November 5, 2026, DStv subscribers will choose from four packages: Starter, Select, Sports and Premium, while GOtv customers will have Easy, Starter, Select and Sports.

The announcement was made at a press briefing held at the company’s headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, where executives outlined

Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Kemi Omotosho, said that the restructuring forms part of CANAL+’s broader strategy to develop a more unified, customer-focused portfolio following MultiChoice’s integration into the group.

Omotosho emphasised that the changes were driven by customer feedback and shifts in how audiences consume entertainment across television sets, smartphones, tablets and laptops.