Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the chairmen of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to translate the financial autonomy granted to their councils into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens, warning that the true measure of government policy is not what is announced in Abuja but what changes in wards, villages and communities.
Tinubu made the call on Tuesday at the maiden Annual National Conference of the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen in Nigeria, held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja. The conference, organised by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs in collaboration with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, is themed “Cascading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to the Grassroots” and runs from September 22 to 24, 2026. The President was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
“The theme goes to the heart of our national assignment because government only becomes meaningful when its impact is felt in the daily lives of our people,” Tinubu said. “The true test of policy is not what is announced in Abuja, but what changes in our wards, villages, towns and communities.” He said Nigerians in all parts of the country must witness and experience better primary healthcare, basic education, rural roads, safe water, stronger food systems, support for small businesses and opportunities for women and young people.
The President recalled his experience as governor of Lagos State, where his administration pursued the creation of additional local councils, which became the 37 Local Council Development Areas. “Contrary to some narratives that gained currency, our vision and focus was about shortening the distance between government and the governed, widening access to services and creating more centres of local development,” he said. He said that experience reinforced his belief that Nigeria cannot develop from the centre alone. “Development must take root from the bottom up.”
At the heart of Tinubu’s address was the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, which affirmed the constitutional rights and financial autonomy of local governments. He described the judgment as historic and said his administration demonstrated political will by approaching the court. “Local government autonomy is not an end in itself, rather, it is an instrument for service and development,” he said. He stressed that the autonomy placed a huge responsibility on all chairmen, elected councillors and their management teams to deliver impactful governance at the grassroots. “Your knowledge of where the clinic lacks medicine, where farmers need support, where young people need opportunity, and where tension is beginning to rise, will help to deliver these dividends,” he told the chairmen.
The President urged councils to become centres of planning, service delivery, early warning and measurable results rather than passive recipients of federal initiatives. He called for evidence-based decision-making driven by technology and reliable statistics. “Local government authorities cannot afford to remain passive recipients of Federal Government initiatives without active participation as development partners,” he said. He challenged the chairmen to leverage Regional Development Commissions and come up with sound recommendations to address challenges slowing local government development.
On security, Tinubu said lasting peace could only be built community by community. He urged the chairmen to strengthen engagement with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth and women’s groups, community associations and lawful security agencies to prevent local grievances from escalating into crises. With Nigeria entering the decisive phase of preparations for the 2027 general elections, he tasked the council chairmen with helping to create an environment where citizens could exercise their democratic rights without fear. “I urge you to discourage divisions and adopt a zero-tolerance policy for thuggery, intimidation, hate speech and violence,” he said. He also urged them to prevent youths from being recruited into violence or drawn into substance abuse during the election period.
The Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo, said the Renewed Hope Agenda’s success must be felt at the grassroots, noting that local governments were closest to the people and had critical responsibilities in translating national policies into sustainable development outcomes. He described traditional rulers as critical stakeholders in peacebuilding, community mobilisation and sustainable development. The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Onwusoro Maduka, presented a status report on the electronic tracking of projects by local government councils, saying the initiative had strengthened project visibility, monitoring and accountability. He said the ministry planned to improve the framework to cover all 774 local government areas, providing a structured mechanism for capturing and monitoring projects, including their locations.
The conference also featured contributions from the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Shola Enikanolaiye, who said domestic government policies had implications for Nigeria’s foreign policy and international relations. Traditional rulers were represented by His Royal Highness Felix Mujakperuo, the Orodje of Okpe in Delta State, who commended the initiative and called for sustained collaboration between traditional institutions and local government authorities.
The conference comes amid a broader push to strengthen the third tier of government following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of local government financial autonomy. In August 2026, the Federal Character Commission and the Progressive Governors’ Forum had tasked the 774 council chairmen on grassroots equity and national unity, while Vice President Kashim Shettima charged them to drive the implementation of the Nutrition 774 Initiative at the grassroots. The Tinubu administration has consistently framed local government autonomy as a cornerstone of its decentralisation agenda, arguing that development cannot be achieved from the centre alone. The President also unveiled a conference compendium titled “Snapshots of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Achievements under his Renewed Hope Agenda.”
For the chairmen gathered in Abuja, the message from the President was unambiguous. Autonomy has been granted, the legal framework has been affirmed, and the responsibility now rests with them to deliver. Whether the councils can transform themselves into centres of planning, service delivery and measurable results will depend on their capacity, their commitment and their willingness to embrace the evidence-based approach the President outlined. As Tinubu put it, the true test of policy is not what is announced in Abuja, but what changes in the wards, villages and communities where Nigerians live.
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