March 27, 2025
By Ayo Makinde
The House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards restructuring local governance in Lagos State by passing the second reading of a bill sponsored by Hon. James Faleke, along with 21 other lawmakers.
The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended) to Accommodate the Thirty-Seven (37) Development Area Councils of Lagos State as Full-Fledged Local Government Areas, Increasing the Total Number of Local Government Areas in the Federation to Eight Hundred and Eleven (811), and for Related Matters (HB. 1498),” aims to upgrade the state’s 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to full-fledged Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Once fully enacted, Nigeria’s total number of LGAs will rise from 774 to 811, with Lagos overtaking Kano and Katsina, which currently have 44 and 34 LGAs, respectively.
Proponents of the bill argue that granting full LGA status to the LCDAs would bring governance closer to the people. “This move would bring government closer to the people and accelerate local development,” said supporters of the bill .
The 37 LCDAs were originally created in 2003 by then-Governor Bola Tinubu to address the growing population and administrative needs of Lagos State.
However, the Federal Government has never officially recognized them as full-fledged LGAs, limiting their access to certain constitutional privileges, including direct federal funding.
The bill’s passage is a step towards restructuring local governance in the state.
As noted by Hon. James Faleke, the bill’s sponsor, “This move would bring government closer to the people and accelerate local development”
However, critics have raised concerns about the financial implications of expanding Nigeria’s LGA framework.
The proposed legislation will now undergo committee scrutiny and public hearings before returning to the House for final consideration.
