Nigeria's local governments get direct federal funds, demand accountability

Since January 2026, every local government in Nigeria has been receiving its statutory allocation directly into its own accounts, according to former Oyo State Special Adviser on Labour Matters Sikiru Bayo Titilola‑Sodo. Titilola‑Sodo, a former president of the National Union of Local Government Employees and former state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, urged residents to question how councils are using the money, noting that local authorities now fund staff salaries, primary‑school teachers, primary‑health‑centre operations and pension payments.

He praised the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed greater financial autonomy for councils, while cautioning that full administrative independence has not yet been granted under Section 7 of the Constitution. At the federal level, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Economic Affairs Tofe Fasua reiterated that poverty reduction is principally a local‑government task, linking the President’s push for greater autonomy to recent improvements such as faster pension disbursements. Both officials highlighted the need for transparency and effective service delivery as the new funding arrangement takes effect across the country.