President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on local government authorities across Nigeria to make grassroots development the central focus of their administration.
Tinubu said the true measure of government policies should not be limited to announcements made in Abuja but should be reflected in tangible improvements in wards, villages and communities across the country.
The President made the remarks on Tuesday through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, while declaring open the maiden Annual National Conference of the 774 local government chairmen in Abuja.
The conference, which is holding from September 22 to 24, 2026, is themed, “Cascading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to the Grassroots.”
Reflecting on his experience as governor of Lagos State, Tinubu recalled that his administration established 37 local council development areas to bring government closer to residents and create additional centres for local development.
He said the experience reinforced his belief that Nigeria could not achieve meaningful development by relying solely on decisions and activities from the centre.
The President also highlighted his administration’s efforts to strengthen local government autonomy, recalling that the Federal Government approached the Supreme Court to affirm the constitutional and financial autonomy of local governments.
He described the Supreme Court judgment of July 11, 2024, as historic.
Tinubu, however, stressed that financial autonomy should not be regarded as an end in itself but as a means of improving service delivery at the grassroots.
He charged local government chairmen, councillors and management teams to ensure that residents experience improvements in primary healthcare, basic education, rural roads, access to safe water, food systems and economic opportunities.
The President also urged councils to create opportunities for women, young people and small businesses while adopting technology and reliable data to improve planning and decision-making.
He called on local governments to evolve into centres of planning, service delivery, early warning and measurable results.
On security, Tinubu said sustainable peace must be built from the community level. He therefore encouraged local government leaders to work closely with traditional rulers, religious leaders, youths and women’s groups to identify grievances and address them before they develop into larger security challenges.
The President also urged local authorities to promote peaceful political participation and discourage thuggery, intimidation and hate speech.
He further called for greater efforts to protect young people from substance abuse.
Tinubu challenged local governments to move beyond being passive beneficiaries of federal programmes and become active development partners, particularly by taking advantage of opportunities offered through Regional Development Commissions.
He urged the council chairmen to develop practical recommendations for addressing the challenges limiting local government development and contributing to the creation of a stronger, safer and more prosperous federation.
The Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Jisalo, also emphasised the importance of local governments in translating federal policies into concrete development outcomes.
Jisalo said local governments occupy a strategic position because they are the tier of government closest to the people.
He said the conference provides an opportunity for participants to develop practical approaches to improving service delivery, strengthening relations between different levels of government and improving accountability.
The minister also identified traditional rulers as important partners in peacebuilding, community mobilisation and sustainable development because of their close relationship with communities and their role as custodians of cultural heritage.
He urged participants to focus on practical solutions and share experiences that could improve coordination and service delivery at the grassroots.
Jisalo reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to strengthening intergovernmental cooperation and supporting initiatives aimed at bringing government services closer to Nigerians.
