The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) was established in 1961, with the aim of providing a nursery of ideas on what direction Nigeria should take on international affairs. Since inception, the Institute has been organising Conferences, Roundtables and Lectures. These are aimed at addressing current foreign policy issues and anticipating others still on the horizon.
The Institute is a specialized instrument of foreign policy formulation in Nigeria. It serves as an intellectual base upon which decision-makers rely for informed opinion and expert advice in order to make rational choices between contending policy options.
The administration of the Institute is organized at two levels:
The Governing Council, which comprises eminent Nigerians from the academia. The Management Committee is chaired by the Director-General with the Directors of Research, Library, Special Duties and Administration as members. There are four statutory departments: Directorate, Research and Studies, Library and Documentation and Administration and Finance.
Objectives The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Act of 1971 (CAP. 311) establishing the Institute states its objectives as follows:
- To encourage and facilitate the understanding of international affairs and of the circumstances, conditions and attitudes of foreign countries and their peoples;
- To provide and maintain means of information upon international questions and promote the study and investigation of international questions by means of conferences, lectures and discussions, and by the preparation and publication of books, records, reports, or otherwise as may seem desirable so as to develop a body of informed opinion on world affairs;
- To establish contacts with other organizations with similar objects
To achieve the above objectives, the Institute is charged with promoting the scientific study of international politics, economics and jurisprudence. The Institute is also mandated to:
- Promote and encourage the study of and research into all aspects of international affairs;
- Provide such information to the Government of the Federation and members of the public as respects matters concerning international relations;
- From time to time arrange international seminars and conferences on any matter relating to its objects;
- Provide facilities for training of Nigerian diplomats and personnel and those of other countries whose vocations relate to international affairs;
- Promote and undertake such other things and to carry out such other activities as may in the opinion of the Institute be deemed necessary for the attainment of the objects of the Institute.
For more info visit www.niia.gov.ng
