Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy and Development (LEAD)

Abstract

Since the Constitution of 1999, Nigeria has recently made important strides in cementing its democratic foundation, with national and state elections that provide a democratic transition after years of military rule. As the country continues to strengthen this foundation, attention to improving democratic governance at the local level will be critical. Local governments provide services that affect people’s daily lives: building the legitimacy of local structures through the provision of responsive and meaningful services will be an important means to establishing trust between citizens and government. A sound framework for local governance requires the clear assignment of service responsibilities, adequate resources to carry out those responsibilities, and adequate access to information so that stakeholders—citizens, civil society organizations, and government officials at all levels—can make an informed assessment about how well local government fulfills its role.