By Waziri Isa Gwantu
The Division of AfCFTA Law and Policy Programme (DALP), Office of the Director-General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), has recorded significant milestones in its first year of operation from October 2025 to October 2026.
In a one-year scorecard titled “Small Steps Towards A Bigger Impact”, the Director of the Division, Professor Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan, said the activities of the Division enhanced NILDS’ international visibility, formed new strategic partnerships and built the capacity of about 400 diverse stakeholders on AfCFTA.
According to the report, the Division commenced with a hybrid sensitization programme for NILDS staff on November 28, 2025, where about 70 staff were sensitized on the AfCFTA.
This was followed by a continental training programme co-organized by UNECA and NILDS at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, from March 3-5, 2026. The training enhanced and certificated the capacity of over 150 legislators, clerks, Legislative Aides, National Assembly legal officers and NILDS research officers.
The Division also facilitated the LA-NILDS Certificate/Conference from April 13-16, 2026, where 48 participants were certificated and about 200 participants and dignitaries attended the International Law Association (ILA) Conference. The report noted that 12 NILDS staff became registered members of the ILA, while the Director-General of NILDS was conferred with the ILA Lifetime Achievement Award.
On publications and advocacy, the Division stated that AfCFTA Policy Briefs 1-15 have been uploaded on the NILDS website library space, while a Compendium on AfCFTA instruments has been compiled and disseminated. It added that the Division secured over 20 media and press coverage slots on NTA, Radio Nigeria and other platforms.
On impact, Prof. Ladan disclosed that four months after the UNECA-NILDS training, the AfCFTA Domestication Bill, HB 2765, 2026, was drafted, passed first and second reading at the House of Representatives, with public hearing scheduled for July 27, 2026, and improvements made for third reading.
He also stated that the NILDS-UNECA training model was replicated in East Africa by the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) at a programme held in Nairobi, Kenya, from July 28-31, 2026.
The report further listed two pending partnership and collaborative programmes with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Abuja and the African Development…