Section 3: Objectives and functions of the Institute

(1) The Institute shall serve as a high-level centre of reflection, research, and dialogue, where academics of intellectual excellence, policy initiators and executors and other citizens with high level of practical experience and wisdom, drawn from different sectors of national life in Nigeria would meet, to reflect and exchange ideas on the great issues of society, particularly as they relate to Nigeria and Africa, in the context of the dynamics of a constantly changing world.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, the Institute is hereby empowered-
(a) to conduct courses for top-level policy makers and executors, drawn from different sectors of the national policy, with a view to expanding their outlook and perspective and stretching their conceptual capacity and qualities of discernment and analysis and thereby helping to improve their overall performance in their different fields of action;
(b) to award certificates of attendance to those who participate in a sufficient and satisfactory manner in any of its courses;
(c) to conduct seminars, workshops and other action-oriented programmes, whether on a continuing or ad hoc basis, for leaders in the public services (including the armed forces and other disciplined forces), the private sector, political organisations, professional and other groups, with a view to promoting and defining, and enhancing appreciation for, long-range national plans and objectives;
(d) to identify, encourage, stimulate, assemble, organise and help deploy to the best national advantage, the country's intellectual talents and experienced policy analysts who are likely to make positive contributions to the treatment of complex policy problems;
(e) to organise and carry out, on an inter disciplinary basis, in intellectual support of those charged with making and implementing policy for Nigeria, research in depth into the social, economic, political, security, scientific, cultural and other problems facing the country, and to formulate and present, in usable form, the available options of their solution;
(f) to disseminate by way of publication of books, records, reports or otherwise, information about any part of its activities to the extent deemed justified by the Board in the interest of the nation, and generally as a contribution towards knowledge and for better national and international understanding; and
(g) to promote or undertake any other activity that in the opinion of the Board is calculated to help achieve the purposes of the Institute.
(3) The Institute shall carry out its tasks and responsibilities in an objective, non-partisan manner, independently of any group in the body politic.