Agora Policy, in partnership with key organisations, is organising a policy dialogue to assess progress made since Nigeria’s Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgement granting financial autonomy to the country’s 774 local government areas. The high-level policy conversation is to evaluate the progress made and identify necessary reforms to enhance governance, service delivery, and human development across Nigeria’s local councils.
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The conversation, supported by the MacArthur Foundation, will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including policymakers, civil society actors, researchers, and development partners. The event is being convened in collaboration with the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CFTPI) and The Cable.
The policy conversation is scheduled for July 22, 2025, at 9:30 AM in the Main Auditorium of the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja. The timing marks exactly one year since the Supreme Court’s ruling, providing an opportunity for comprehensive reflection and forward-looking discussions.
The event will feature Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Olawale Edun, as the keynote speaker.
A stellar panel of experts has been assembled to examine the progress, challenges, and pathways for improved local governance. The panel includes the National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Bello Yandaki; Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo; Hajiya Saudatu Madhi from the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), and the Executive Director of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity, Umar Yakubu. Nancy Iloh-Nnaji will moderate the panel.
Additional guest speakers will provide specialised insights to help define the issues and propose solutions for more effective, impactful, and responsive local administration in Nigeria. These include representatives from various organisations, including the MacArthur Foundation, the African Cities Research Consortium, and the World Bank Group Nigeria.
The diverse composition of speakers ensures multiple perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing Nigeria’s local government system in the post-autonomy era.
The policy conversation aims to deliberate on several critical areas:
- Progress and gaps in implementing the Supreme Court ruling
- Strategies to make local councils more accountable, efficient, and responsive
- Reforms needed to improve governance and service delivery at the local level
- Human development implications of financial autonomy
- Pathways for enhanced local governance effectiveness
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant financial autonomy to local government areas represented a watershed moment in Nigeria’s governance structure, potentially reshaping the relationship between different tiers of government and promising improved service delivery at the grassroots level.
However, implementation challenges and the need for complementary reforms have highlighted the importance of sustained dialogue and policy coordination among stakeholders.
The event represents a crucial platform for meaningful dialogue between government officials, civil society organisations, development partners, and other key stakeholders invested in strengthening Nigeria’s local governance framework.
By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, the conversation aims to generate actionable insights and recommendations that can guide policy decisions and implementation strategies moving forward.
Interested participants can register for the event through Agora Policy’s official website, ensuring broad participation in this important national conversation on local governance reform.
The policy dialogue represents part of ongoing efforts to ensure that the promise of local government financial autonomy translates into tangible improvements in governance, accountability, and development outcomes for Nigerian citizens at the local level.
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