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Why Young Nigerians Should Care About Local Government Elections

LGA Elections

When we think of politics in Nigeria, most people jump straight to Aso Rock. Presidential elections get all the attention, and sometimes we care enough to talk about governors. But local government elections? Most young Nigerians don’t even know when they happen, let alone who’s running.

Yet, it’s the local government that often has the most direct impact on your daily life. The broken road outside your house? The waste that hasn’t been cleared in weeks? The lack of functional health centres or skills programs? That’s local government responsibility. And if we’re not paying attention, we’re letting someone mismanage what belongs to us.

So, What Does Local Government Actually Do?

Local governments are the third tier of government in Nigeria.  There are 774 LGAs nationwide, and their job is to manage the basics:

  • Primary education (think public primary schools)
  • Primary healthcare
  • Local roads and drainage
  • Environmental sanitation and waste disposal
  • Local markets, motor parks, and community development
  • Youth and women empowerment programs

In other words, they’re the ones in charge of the things you complain about every day. Yet, most young Nigerians don’t even know who their Local Government Chairman is.

Let’s Talk Money ( The Part Nigerians Love To Hear About)

Every month, the Nigerian federal government disburses between ₦200 billion and ₦300 billion to local governments across the country. Yes, every single month.

For example, in April 2024, local governments received around ₦258 billion from the Federation Account. When you divide that among 774 local governments, each one gets an average of ₦333 million monthly.

Now, think about that for a second.

What has your local government done with ₦333 million per month? That’s nearly ₦4 billion in just one year.

If you don’t see any major improvements,n o roads fixed, no community health centres revived, no youth programs running, not even streetlights installed,t hen you have every right to ask:

Where is the money going?

Why You Should Care

  1. You’re the Majority and You Have the Numbers: Over 60% of Nigeria’s population is under 30. If we all decided to participate in local elections, we could completely change who leads us. But right now, most young people ignore these elections, giving corrupt or incompetent people a free pass.
  2. Your Hustle Depends on It: The condition of your roads, the cleanliness of your environment, whether your community has functioning markets or business support programs all of that depends on local governance. You want to build something that lasts? You need leaders that work.
  3. It’s Where Change Starts: Big change starts small. A country that works is built from communities that work. If your ward or LGA is in chaos, the bigger picture will reflect the same. But if we fix things from the ground up, we build a better Nigeria brick by brick.
  4. Your Vote Counts More Here: In local government elections, the number of voters is usually much smaller. That means your one vote carries more weight than in a presidential election. Just a few hundred young people voting intentionally can change the results.
  5. Local Leaders Become National Leaders: Today’s local government chairman might be tomorrow’s senator or governor. If we don’t demand accountability and competence at this level, we’re helping to raise the next generation of failed leaders.

So What Can You Do?

  1. Register and vote in local elections. Your PVC wasn’t made just for presidential elections.
  2. Find out who your current LGA Chairman and Councillor are. Start asking questions.
  3. Track how much money your LGA receives each month (the info is public from FAAC).
  4. Join town hall meetings or youth forums. Your voice matters use it be as loud as you possibly can.
  5. Encourage your friends to care too. Change is a team effort.

We often say “Nigeria must change.” But change doesn’t only happen in Abuja. It starts right here in your street, your community, your LGA.

If your local government is receiving over ₦300 million a month, you have every right to ask:

“What have you done with it?”

Let’s stop sitting on the sidelines. Let’s start caring, voting, and holding people accountable.

Be aware. Be involved. Be heard.

Because if you don’t speak up, someone else will speak and then spend on your behalf.

 

Author’s Bio

Lydia Oluwafolakemi Magoh

Lydia Oluwafolakemi Magoh is a youth advocate, writer, and student of History and Diplomatic Studies at Lagos State University of Education. She’s passionate about civic engagement, good governance, and amplifying young voices in Nigeria.

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