Grassroots Governance Key To Tinubu’s Poverty Reduction Plan—FG
The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening local governance structures as a key element of Nigeria’s long-term economic growth and national development strategy.
Speaking in Abuja during a high-level policy dialogue hosted by AGORA Policy with support from the MacArthur Foundation, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, said only democratically elected local government councils now receive direct allocations from the Federation Account.
Edun said the development followed the government’s full compliance with the recent Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutional autonomy of local governments across the country.
“This is not a policy choice,” the minister said. “It is a constitutional obligation to uphold the ruling of the highest court in the land.”
He explained that the move was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader economic reform agenda, which places grassroots empowerment and inclusive governance at the centre of efforts to reduce poverty and improve service delivery nationwide.
“Grassroots empowerment is not just a governance issue; it’s an economic imperative,” Edun declared.
To reinforce this shift, he said the federal government has launched a series of programmes aimed at improving development outcomes at the local level.
These include the Nutrition 774 Programme, which targets nutritional support across all LGAs; Project 774 Digital Connectivity, designed to expand internet access and digital services; and the World Bank-supported HOPE Programme focused on enhancing human capital development.
“These are not symbolic gestures,” Edun stressed. “They are structured investments in governance that catalyse private sector confidence, reduce economic exclusion, and foster scalable development.”
He added that improving the capacity of local governments to deliver essential services and infrastructure would not only drive inclusive growth but also strengthen national cohesion.
The minister called for stronger coordination and alignment between the federal, state, and local tiers of government, noting that meaningful economic reform cannot be achieved in isolation.
The policy dialogue brought together top policymakers, development experts, and stakeholders from across the public and private sectors to explore solutions for improving governance and economic outcomes at the grassroots level.
Grassroots Governance Key To Tinubu’s Poverty Reduction Plan—FG is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
