Who runs local government in Nigeria?

Nigeria is a federation of 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory, with 774 local governments (768 local government areas and 6 FCT area councils). The constitution guarantees 'democratically elected local government councils', but it lets each state make the laws on how they are set up and run, so in practice state governors have dominated them, often replacing elected councils with appointed caretaker committees and controlling their money. In July 2024 the Supreme Court ruled that this was unconstitutional and ordered federal allocations to be paid directly to elected councils, though putting this into practice has been uneven. Traditional rulers (emirs, obas, obis and others) are recognised by state laws, not by the federal constitution.

Federal Republic of Nigeria · Federal presidential republic · Western Africa

The levels of government below the nation

Level	How it is chosen	What it does
States (36) and the Federal Capital Territory	State governor and House of Assembly elected; the FCT is run by a minister appointed by the president	Major government level: makes the laws that create and run local governments; runs State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).
Local government areas (774, including 6 FCT area councils)	Executive chairman and ward councillors elected in elections run by each state's SIEC (FCT area councils by the national electoral commission)	Primary and adult education, primary health care, markets, motor parks, local roads, birth and death registration (Fourth Schedule of the constitution).
Wards	One councillor elected per ward	Electoral and representation units within an LGA.
Development areas and autonomous communities (in some states)	Created by state law; leaders vary (appointed coordinators; traditional rulers)	Extra administrative units created by some states.

Three questions about local power in Nigeria

Are local leaders elected?

Local chairmen and councillors are supposed to be elected; in practice many states have used appointed caretaker committees for long periods, and ruling parties have often won nearly every seat in SIEC-run elections. Traditional rulers are chosen by custom with state approval.

Which laws set up local government?

Local government is in the constitution (section 7) and state laws. Traditional rulers are formal under state law but have no constitutional powers.

Who are local leaders accountable to?

Voters in principle; in practice state governors and assemblies, which control local government laws and funds. The 2024 Supreme Court ruling says states may not dissolve elected councils. Traditional rulers answer to kingmakers, custom and the state governor.

Traditional and customary authority

The federal constitution gives traditional rulers no formal powers. Their status depends on each state's chieftaincy laws: states set up Councils of Traditional Rulers or emirate councils, recognise or grade titles, and pay stipends. Rulers are chosen by kingmakers from ruling houses according to custom, but the state governor usually has to approve the choice and can depose a ruler (as Kano's governor did with the emir in 2020). Traditional rulers act as mediators, custodians of culture and, in many places, guardians of communal land and local peace. Islamic (Sharia) and customary courts are formal state courts in many states and apply religious or customary law in family and civil matters.

Community and neighbourhood power

Community Development Associations (CDAs) and committees, recognised by many local governments, organise self-help projects. Landlord and residents' associations in cities run security and sanitation. Several states have set up their own security outfits (for example Amotekun in the south-west) and religious police (Hisbah in some northern states), and vigilante groups work with traditional rulers.

Points to know

Section 162 of the constitution created a 'State Joint Local Government Account' through which local governments' share of federal revenue passed via the states; this let governors control council finances.
In AG Federation v AG Abia State & 35 Others (11 July 2024), the Supreme Court held that governors may not dissolve elected councils, that caretaker committees are unconstitutional, and that only democratically elected councils should receive federal allocations, paid directly to them.
The number of local governments (774) is written into the constitution, so states cannot officially create more without a constitutional amendment.
Traditional rulers are a good example of formal but unelected power whose accountability runs mainly to state governors.

Local terms

LGA: Local Government Area: Nigeria's basic local government unit, led by an elected chairman.
Caretaker committee: An appointed body that runs an LGA instead of an elected council; held unconstitutional in 2024.
SIEC: State Independent Electoral Commission: runs local elections in each state.
Emir / Oba / Obi: Titles of traditional rulers in the north (Emir), south-west (Oba) and south-east (Obi).

Sources

Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (rev. 2011), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
The Local Government System in Nigeria: Country Profile 2019, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, checked 14 October 2026
Nigeria: country profile (subnational government structure and finance, 2022 edition), OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
Nigerian leader cautions governors against violating LG autonomy judgment, Voice of Nigeria (federal government broadcaster), checked 14 October 2026