International records / OpenAlex research

Decentralization and Local Governance in Nigeria: Enhancing Policy Responsiveness and Service Delivery Through Local Government Autonomy

The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria establishes Local Government Areas (LGAs) as the third tier of government, with direct responsibility for frontline services like primary healthcare, basic education, and sanitation. However, LGAs remain the weakest link in the federal system, constrained by overlapping functions with state ministries, fiscal dependence through state- managed Joint Accounts, insufficient administrative capacity, and irregular elections that erode local accountability. These structural issues have resulted in chronic service delivery failures across the country. This study evalu…