The House of Representatives on Wednesday took a significant step toward reshaping the administrative structure of Lagos State, passing a bill for second reading that seeks to recognize the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) as full-fledged Local Government Areas (LGAs).
If the bill successfully navigates the legislative process, Lagos will see its number of LGAs increase from 20 to 57, raising Nigeria’s total count from 774 to 811.
The 37 LCDAs were originally created during President Bola Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor (1999–2007), a move that sparked a major political standoff with then-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who responded by withholding federal allocations to the state.
The bill is sponsored by Abiodun Faleke, the lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, alongside 21 other legislators. It proposes an amendment to the 1999 Constitution to officially recognize the LCDAs as LGAs.
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Faleke, a long-time ally of Tinubu, argued that the bill would bring governance closer to the people by enhancing grassroots development and improving service delivery in Lagos.
“In a state with a rapidly growing population like Lagos, having more local government structures will ensure better resource allocation, improved governance, and more direct representation for the people,” he stated during the debate on the bill.
The proposed legislation, if passed, will alter the First Schedule of the Constitution to incorporate the new LGAs, restructuring the administrative framework of Lagos to accommodate its expanding urban and suburban communities.
While proponents of the bill highlight the potential for enhanced governance and infrastructure development, critics caution that the move could set a precedent for other states seeking similar expansions, complicating national administrative structures.
As the bill moves to committee-level deliberations, it is poised to reignite discussions on Nigeria’s federal structure, resource allocation, and the constitutional limitations of state-created LGAs.