Local Government as an Agent of Development in Nigeria

Abstract

The role of local government as an agent of development cannot be overemphasized. For the local people who the local government institutions serve directly as well as for the nation at large, local government can catalyze development a great deal. However, the development role of the local government has been stifled by Nigerian political leaders of the democratic fourth republic. The governors and houses of assembly, for instance, have failed to allow local governments operate as an independent tier of government as envisioned by the country’s constitution. This paper is an attempt to highlight the enormous potentials of the Nigerian local government to catalyze development within the context of the united nation’s sustainable development goals agenda, if properly structured and operated. The study is built around the democratic – participatory theory of local government. The information gathered from documentary sources are analyzed descriptively to suggest that a reform of the Nigerian local government system as well as amendment of aspects of the constitution relating to local government are necessary to revitalize the Nigerian local government system.