At the top of the organisational chart of the Institute is the Board of Governors. The governance of the Institute and the general direction of its affairs are vested in the Board of Governors, consisting of a Chairman, the Director-General and nine other members. Apart from its responsibility for policy and the general direction of the affairs of the Institute, the Board has the specific responsibility to consider and approve the following:
- A long-range plan of activities for the Institute;
- The programme of studies and research to be undertaken by the Institute;
- The annual budget of the Institute;
- The investment plans of the Institute;
- An annual report to be submitted to the President on the activities of the Institute and its administration, including audited accounts for the preceding year.
Since its inception in 1979, the Institute has had ten Boards of Governors, chaired respectively by:
- Chief S.O. Adebo, CFR (1979-82)
- Mr SO. Wey (Dec 1982-Feb 1983), replaced by Chief M.O Ani, (April 1983-1985)
- Major-General IBM Haruna (Rtd) (1985-1993)
- Major-General GO Ejiga (Rtd) (1993-1994)
- Dr Sylvester Ugoh (2002-2004)
- Prof. Dakum Shown (2004-2005) and
- Gen Salihu Ibrahim (Rtd) (2005-2007)
- Maj. Gen Paul Ufuoma Omu, (Rtd) OFR, rcds (2009 – 2016)
- Ambassador Ignatius Longjam (March – November 2018)
- Gen LEO Irabor, GSS, psc, FCM (2018 - 2024)
The current Board Chairman of the National Institute is Senator Dr Ken Nnamani, GCON
The other members of the Board are:
- Prof. Ayo Omotayo – Director General, NIPSS
- General Christopher Gwabin Musa, OFR - Chief of Defence Staff
The National Institute is a Parastatal under the Presidency and supervised directly by the Office of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
