ASSESSING THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTONOMY IN NIGERIA'S FEDERAL SYSTEM

CHALLENGES AND PROSPECT

Abstract

This paper examines the role of local government autonomy within Nigeria's federal system, focusing on the challenges and prospects that influence its effectiveness. Despite constitutional provisions designed to empower local governments, issues such as financial dependency, political interference, and administrative constraints persist, hindering their capacity to deliver essential services and promote grassroots development. The study adopts decentralization theory, which advocates for the distribution of political power and administrative responsibilities across multiple levels of government to enhance responsiveness and accountability. Using a content analysis methodology, the research examines and interprets qualitative and quantitative data from various sources, including government documents, policy reports, scholarly articles, and media content. Data were analyzed qualitatively to identify key themes and patterns related to the challenges and prospects of local government autonomy, with a particular focus on administrative, financial, and governance dimensions. A key finding reveals that local governments in Nigeria are heavily reliant on state governments for financial allocations, limiting their autonomy and ability to independently manage resources for effective service delivery. The study concludes that local government autonomy remains a critical issue for effective governance and service delivery in Nigeria's federal system. It recommends constitutional amendments to strengthen provisions for local government autonomy, particularly by securing financial independence and reducing state-level control over local finances.