 Former President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law the National Institute for Legislative Studies Act 2011 on 2 March 2011 following the passage of the same by the Senate and the House of Representatives.NILS builds on the successes of the Policy Analysis and Research Project (PARP), established in 2003 as a capacity building institution of the National Assembly with the financial support of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).NILS has as its core objectives to provide quality academic and professional research, policy analysis, training, documentation and advocacy on democratic governance and legislative practice and procedures.