The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has announced plans to convene a national summit on elite consensus in the first quarter of 2026 to advance dialogue on national development.
The Director-General, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, disclosed this during the public presentation of the National Survey Report and commissioned papers on Elite Consensus Development in Nigeria.
Sulaiman said the summit would provide a platform for influential stakeholders to discuss issues critical to Nigeria’s growth and governance.
He described the elite consensus project as strategically important, offering an evidence-based framework to align key actors around essential reforms for national progress.
The Director-General noted that this event represents NILDS’ third major engagement aimed at fostering elite consensus, consistent with the institute’s mandate in research, capacity building, and national development.
According to him, the project began with a methodology workshop in March 2024, bringing together academics, civil society actors, and practitioners to establish credible approaches for gathering elite perspectives.
He explained that insights from the workshop informed a nationwide survey conducted across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, which was later validated during a workshop in August.
“Findings from the validation process were incorporated into the final report, now released alongside commissioned papers addressing key governance challenges,” Sulaiman said.
“The commissioned papers examine topics such as state police frameworks, ethnofederalism and group rights, revenue mobilisation and allocation, and broader issues related to building elite consensus in Nigeria,” he added.
Sulaiman expressed appreciation to all stakeholders, scholars, and participants, noting that the project, initiated in 2023, aims to guide consensus on critical national issues.
He reiterated plans to host a national summit on elite consensus in early 2026.
Acknowledging funding constraints, Sulaiman emphasized that achieving national development requires collective support and urged stakeholders to help sustain the project’s momentum.
He commended the project committee chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for his leadership in delivering the report and commissioned studies.
Sulaiman encouraged participants to engage with the findings constructively and contribute to consensus-building that strengthens Nigeria’s unity, governance, and sustainable development.
Prof. Jega, former INEC chairman and NILDS consultant on the elite consensus projects, explained that the committee began work in February 2024 with a mandate to facilitate dialogue, research, advocacy, and elite consensus.
He outlined that the committee developed a concept note, organized inclusive dialogues, produced research for publication, promoted public advocacy, and laid the groundwork for a national summit.
Jega noted that survey methodologies were refined through stakeholder workshops in March 2024, involving academics, journalists, civil society actors, professionals, and partners.
“Academics from universities across the country coordinated and assisted in administering questionnaires to selected elites in sectors including security, finance, politics, labour, traditional institutions, religion, media, judiciary, entertainment, and academia,” he said.
The committee also produced papers on elite consensus, state policing frameworks, ethnofederalism, citizenship rights, and revenue generation and allocation in Nigeria.
In a goodwill message, Mr Ibrahim Olarewaju, Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on National Assembly matters, urged that the report’s findings be translated into constitutional and legal reforms and pledged government support for NILDS’ elite consensus initiatives.
Prof. Adeniji Adeyinka of the University of Abuja and Prof. Shola Omotola of Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, reviewed the report and described the work as timely, comprehensive, and critical for strengthening democratic governance and institutional accountability in Nigeria.
The event culminated in the official public presentation of the national survey report and commissioned papers on NILDS’ elite consensus initiative, marking a key step toward fostering dialogue and actionable reforms.