The Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has restated the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to strengthening local government institutions as a vital pillar of inclusive and sustainable economic development.
Speaking at a high-level policy dialogue hosted by AGORA Policy with support from the MacArthur Foundation, Edun emphasized that grassroots empowerment is at the heart of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic transformation agenda.
Director of Information and Public Relations in the ministry, Mohammed Manga quoted the Minister to have indicated,
“Empowering local governments is not just a governance reform — it is an economic necessity,” the Minister declared.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s recent adherence to the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment on local government autonomy, noting that only democratically elected local councils now receive direct allocations from the Federation Account.
He described this development not as a political decision, but as a constitutional responsibility and a step toward fiscal justice.
To support this bold shift, the Federal Government has rolled out targeted initiatives, including the Nutrition 774 Programme, Project 774 Digital Connectivity, and the HOPE Programme (Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity), a World Bank-backed initiative.
These efforts aim to deliver measurable progress in human capital development, digital access, and public service delivery at the community level.
“These initiatives are not token efforts,” Edun noted. “They are catalytic investments designed to build trust, stimulate private sector engagement, and reduce economic marginalisation.”
He concluded by calling for stronger coordination among federal, state, and local actors to ensure that reforms translate into meaningful, scalable outcomes for all Nigerians.