The House of Representatives has approved a bill seeking to grant full Local Government Area (LGA) status to Lagos State’s 37 Development Area Councils, expanding the number of LGAs in the state from 20 to 57.
If passed into law, the legislation will grant the newly recognized councils full administrative and financial autonomy, allowing them to function independently. The bill was one of 42 constitutional amendment proposals approved during Wednesday’s plenary session.
The bill was sponsored by Hon. James Abiodun Faleke (Ikeja Federal Constituency), Hon. Babajimi Benson (Ikorodu Federal Constituency), and Hon. Enitan Dolapo Badru (Lagos Island I Federal Constituency), with backing from 19 other lawmakers.
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),
the proposal advanced to second reading on Wednesday during a session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
If enacted, the law will increase Nigeria’s total number of LGAs from 774 to 811, a significant expansion of the country’s local governance structure.
Additionally, Lagos State will surpass Kano and Katsina as the state with the highest number of LGAs, as Kano and Katsina currently have 44 and 34 LGAs, respectively.
The proposed expansion is expected to enhance grassroots governance, improve service delivery, and boost economic development in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub. However, it remains subject to further legislative approvals and constitutional amendments before it can be fully implemented.
