By Sola Ojewusi
The House of Representatives has approved a bill seeking to formally recognize Lagos State’s 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) as full-fledged Local Government Areas (LGAs). If enacted into law, the bill will increase the total number of LGAs in Lagos from 20 to 57, making it the state with the highest number of local governments in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, 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)”, was among the 42 constitutional amendment bills passed by the House on Wednesday.
Sponsored by Hon. James Abiodun Faleke (Ikeja Federal Constituency), Hon. Babajimi Benson (Ikorodu Federal Constituency), Hon. Enitan Dolapo Badru (Lagos Island I Federal Constituency), and 19 other lawmakers, the bill successfully scaled its second reading during plenary, presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
If passed into law, Nigeria’s total number of LGAs will increase from 774 to 811. Lagos will also surpass Kano (44 LGAs) and Katsina (34 LGAs), solidifying its administrative structure as the state with the highest number of local governments.
The bill’s approval is expected to rekindle debates on state creation and resource allocation, as other states may seek similar constitutional amendments to accommodate their LCDAs. Advocates argue that recognizing these development councils as LGAs will improve governance, revenue allocation, and grassroots development. However, critics warn of potential challenges in implementation, especially in revenue-sharing formulas and administrative restructuring.
With the House’s approval, the bill will now proceed to the Senate for further legislative processes before it can be signed into law by the President.
