NILDS DG Charges Leaders to Build Strong Institutions, Deliver Results

The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, has urged world leaders to prioritize building robust institutions, fostering human development, and achieving measurable outcomes. During his keynote address at the International Leadership Summit in the United Kingdom, Sulaiman emphasized that true leadership is demonstrated by the strength of the institutions a leader leaves behind, rather than the authority they wield.

He argued that leaders must focus on decision-making, managing people, and delivering tangible results to create lasting progress. Drawing on NILDS' experiences, Sulaiman detailed the institution's growth, including the expansion of its departments, the creation of new centers, and the establishment of Democracy Radio. He highlighted the significance of strategic planning, institutional commitment, and effective execution in transforming public institutions to better serve the public.

Sulaiman also stressed the importance of confronting challenges rather than settling for existing limitations, and managing people as the soul of leadership. He advocated for empowering staff, fostering professional development, and ensuring that staff contributions align with institutional objectives. The NILDS director-general also emphasized the importance of measurable outcomes in leadership, citing the institute's achievements, such as over 200 capacity-building programs, training more than 3,000 individuals, and establishing more than 20 strategic partnerships.

He called for investing in young Nigerians through internship opportunities and annual engagements with the National Youth Service Corps. According to Sulaiman, leadership should be judged by the impact of decisions and the enduring value institutions create, not merely by policy intentions or activity volumes.