The Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI) says most local governments in Nigeria have yet to benefit from the financial autonomy granted by the Supreme Court in July 2024.
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The court had ruled that allocations from the Federation Account should go directly to the 774 local government councils instead of passing through state governments — a decision hailed as a breakthrough for grassroots governance.
LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT
However, in a new report presented in Abuja on Friday, the organisation said findings show that most councils are still not receiving funds directly and continue to suffer from weak governance and poor accountability.
LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT
CeFTPI’s Executive Director, Umar Yakubu, said there is “little evidence” that the Supreme Court judgment has translated into real financial independence at the local level.
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The report, titled Nigerian Local Government Integrity Index (NLGII): A Framework for Accountability, is described as the first nationwide corruption and governance risk assessment of local councils. It found that 85 percent of LGAs face “very high or critical risk” due to weak structures, lack of transparency, and poor service delivery.
Yakubu said the index highlights key areas for reform across eight governance pillars, noting that beyond financial autonomy, councils need stronger capacity and training to meet citizens’ needs.
He explained that transparency in Nigeria decreases from the federal to state and then to local levels, urging councils to adopt the new framework to improve governance.
The group also recommended that anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau intensify oversight of councils classified under tiers 4 and 5, where corruption risks are highest.
Chris Uwadoka, special adviser to the Fiscal Responsibility Commission chairman, Victor Muruako, said fiscal transparency remains vital for curbing corruption, calling for open access to financial records to ensure accountability at the grassroots.
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