Federalism and Local Government System in Nigeria: A Critical Assessment

Abstract

Nigeria operates a federal system of government with three tiers of government - federal, state, and local. The local government system is an essential component of Nigeria's federalism and plays a critical role in the administration of grassroots governance. However, the local government system in Nigeria faces several challenges, including revenue allocation, lack of autonomy, corruption, and political interference. Despite the constitutional recognition of local government autonomy, the system's operations remain largely under the control of state governments. This research examines Nigeria's federalism and local government system, highlighting the dynamics of federalism, challenges of local government, the nature and structure of federalism, revenue allocation and resource control. It also discusses the challenges faced by the local government system and suggests possible solutions to enhance its effectiveness and efficiency. The research concludes that strengthening local government autonomy is essential to promote grassroots development and effective service delivery in Nigeria.