NILDS, MTN Strengthen Capacity For Effective Policy And Legislative Analysis

National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) has strengthened its partnership with MTN Nigeria through a Capacity Building Workshop on Enhancing Policy and Legislative Analysis in the Telecommunications Industry for staff of MTN Nigeria’s Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs Department.

The workshop provided participants with deeper insights into legislative processes, public policy development, and regulatory engagement while highlighting the importance of evidence-based analysis in shaping effective policies for Nigeria’s rapidly evolving telecommunications sector.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director General, NILDS, Professor Abubakar O. Sulaiman commended MTN Nigeria for partnering with the Institute to strengthen institutional capacity in legislative affairs, public policy, and regulatory engagement. He noted that telecommunications remains a major driver of Nigeria’s digital economy and that a sound understanding of the policy and legislative environment is essential for innovation, investment, and sustainable development.

The training also examined the implications of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, 5G, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and big data, which are creating new opportunities as well as complex regulatory challenges.

Professor Sulaiman stressed the need for stronger collaboration among lawmakers, regulators, academia, and industry stakeholders to develop responsive policies that balance national security, innovation, consumer protection, privacy, and economic growth.

The completed workshop further underscored the importance of continuous professional development for professionals operating within the public policy and regulatory space. As technological developments continue to reshape the economy, stronger analytical capacity is required to anticipate emerging challenges and contribute meaningfully to policy formulation.

The NILDS-MTN collaboration, therefore, represents an important investment in professional capacity and stronger public-private sector engagement, contributing to a more informed, responsive, and evidence-based policy environment for Nigeria’s digital economy.