The Federal Government has established a 10-member committee to ensure the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria. The ruling, delivered on July 11, 2024, mandates that local governments operate independently, without interference from state governments.

This development was announced by the Director of Information & Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Segun Imohiosen, on Tuesday in Abuja. The committee was inaugurated by Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who will also serve as the chairman of the committee.

The committee includes key government officials, such as the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; the Accountant General of the Federation; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance; the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission; a representative of state governors; and a representative of local governments.

According to the statement, the committee’s primary goal is to ensure that local governments are granted full autonomy, enabling them to function effectively as the third tier of government, as recognized by the Nigerian Constitution.