Fixing Nigeria from the ground up: Why local and state accountability matters

By Taiwo Mustapha

When things go wrong in Nigeria, public frustration often zeroes in on one figure: the President. From Lagos to Zamfara, the presidency is seen as the epicenter of power and responsibility. However, this perception overlooks a critical truth: many of the services that directly affect citizens’ daily lives are managed not by the federal government, but by state and local authorities.

Nigeria’s federal structure divides governance into three tiers: federal, state, and local. Yet, in the public eye, the presidency dominates the narrative, while governors, state legislators, and local government chairmen operate with far less scrutiny. This imbalance in attention has become a major barrier to effective governance and development.

Despite being the closest tier of government to the people, local governments remain largely invisible. Ask the average Nigerian who their local government chairman is, and the answer is often silence. Yet these officials are responsible for essential services such as primary education, healthcare, sanitation, and local infrastructure. When roads are impassable or clinics lack basic supplies, the failure is often local, not federal.

Unfortunately, local government elections are frequently marred by low voter turnout, limited media coverage, and a lack of transparency. Many citizens are unaware of when these elections take place or who the candidates are. This disconnect allows local and state leaders to operate with minimal accountability, while the president is blamed for everything from potholes to power outages.

Nigeria has 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across its 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Each is governed by a council led by an elected chairman and councilors. Despite their constitutional responsibilities, many LGAs have failed to deliver on their mandates. The signs are everywhere:

• Collapsed primary healthcare systems with under-equipped clinics.
• Neglected public schools with unpaid teachers and crumbling infrastructure.
• Poor sanitation and waste management, especially in urban centers.
• Abandoned community projects that never reach completion.
• Caretaker committees replacing elected councils, undermining democracy.

These failures are often compounded by the lack of financial autonomy. State governors frequently control local government funds, delay disbursements, or divert resources, leaving LGAs unable to function effectively.

In response, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has taken a bold legal step to enforce local government autonomy. Rather than pursuing constitutional amendments, which have historically been blocked by state governors, the federal government has approached the Supreme Court to uphold existing constitutional provisions. The petition seeks to prevent governors from dissolving elected local councils, mandate direct allocation of funds to LGAs from the Federation Account, and prohibit the use of unelected caretaker committees. This legal strategy aims to restore grassroots democracy and empower local governments to serve their communities effectively.

However, legal reform alone is not enough. For democracy to thrive, citizens must be informed and engaged. Nigerians must begin to ask tough questions of their local and state leaders: What happened to the budget for rural electrification? Why are local schools underfunded? How are constituency projects being executed?

Holding only the president accountable while ignoring other tiers of government is like blaming the captain of a ship while the crew sabotages the engine room. It’s time for a civic awakening. Media organizations, civil society groups, and educational institutions must prioritize civic education. Citizens must be encouraged to: Know their local representatives, attend town hall meetings, and demand transparency in local budgets. The responsibilities of the citizens are not just to vote during general elections, but to demand accountability from their leaders at the grassroots level.

Nigeria’s challenges are complex, but meaningful change will only come when every level of government is held to account. The president may be the face of the nation, but real progress begins in our neighborhoods, our towns, and our states.