FG Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening Local Government Institutions for Inclusive Economic Growth
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to empowering local government institutions as a key strategy for driving inclusive economic growth and reducing poverty across Nigeria.
Speaking at a high-level policy dialogue organized by AGORA Policy with support from the MacArthur Foundation, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, emphasized that grassroots empowerment remains a central pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s poverty alleviation agenda.
“Grassroots empowerment is not just a governance issue; it’s an economic imperative,” Edun declared.
The Minister highlighted the Federal Government’s recent compliance with the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy, noting that only democratically elected local councils now receive direct allocations from the Federation Account. According to him, this is not merely a policy decision but a constitutional responsibility to implement the judgment of the nation’s highest court.
In furtherance of this commitment, Edun announced that the government has rolled out several targeted initiatives to enhance service delivery at the grassroots level. These include the Nutrition 774 Programme, Project 774 Digital Connectivity, and the HOPE Programme—an initiative supported by the World Bank.
“These are not symbolic gestures,” he stressed. “They are structured investments in governance that catalyze private sector confidence, reduce economic exclusion, and foster scalable development.”
Edun concluded by calling for greater synergy among federal, state, and local government entities to fully realize the potential benefits of local governance reform. He noted that only through strategic collaboration and strict policy adherence can Nigeria unlock the full value of decentralized economic development.
The event brought together policymakers, development partners, and civil society actors to explore pathways to strengthen governance and improve economic outcomes across all levels of government.
