The Federal Government has urged local government chairmen across the country to take the lead in driving inclusive development and strengthening social protection systems at the grassroots level.

This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning following a stakeholder engagement with local government chairmen hosted by the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, said local governments must take ownership of development programmes within their jurisdictions to improve living conditions and reduce poverty.

“Local government chairmen, as the chief executives of their councils, must take ownership of development outcomes within their jurisdictions,” Bagudu stated.

The engagement, themed “Strengthening Local Government Leadership for Inclusive Development and Social Protection Delivery,” focused on improving collaboration among federal, state, and local governments in delivering social protection initiatives.

Bagudu said the Constitution imposed both moral and constitutional obligations on public officials to ensure the welfare and inclusion of citizens.

“At the heart of governance in Nigeria is the achievement of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy as set out in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the minister said.

He noted that despite the efforts of many Nigerians to earn a living, economic hardship, insecurity, and market failures had continued to undermine livelihoods across the country.

“We must recognise that many hardworking Nigerians — farmers, fishermen, herders, traders and small business owners — often do not receive returns commensurate with their effort. This makes social protection and inclusive governance necessary,” he added.

The minister stressed that effective social protection could only be achieved through a coordinated “whole-of-government and whole-of-society” approach involving all levels of government, development partners, civil society organisations, and community stakeholders.

According to him, Section 13 of the Constitution mandates all authorities exercising governmental powers to work together to achieve national development objectives.

Bagudu explained that the 2017 National Social Protection Policy established intervention structures and programmes such as the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office, N-Power, and the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

He also highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to grassroots development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The minister disclosed that the National Economic Council had approved the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which aims to map economic opportunities, development challenges, and social realities across wards nationwide.

According to him, the initiative is expected to improve governance and coordination at the grassroots by helping local governments identify service gaps, development priorities, and existing intervention programmes.

“The programme aims to ensure that all interventions within a ward communicate and coordinate effectively,” he stated.

Bagudu observed that many development programmes are currently operated in parallel across states and local governments without proper coordination, resulting in duplication, inefficiencies, and gaps in service delivery.

He said stronger collaboration among government institutions, humanitarian organisations, development partners, and local stakeholders would improve development outcomes and social protection delivery.

The minister further urged local government leaders to look beyond demands for increased allocations and focus on unlocking economic opportunities within their communities.

He maintained that many local governments possessed untapped economic potential that could drive prosperity and inclusion if properly harnessed in collaboration with state and federal authorities.

Bagudu reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening social protection systems and ensuring that ongoing economic reforms translate into tangible benefits for Nigerians at the grassroots.

The PUNCH earlier reported that state governments received N1.46tn meant for local government councils in the first quarter of 2026, despite the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to the third tier of government.

Data from Federation Account Allocation Committee reports, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the National Bureau of Statistics, collated by The PUNCH, showed that local government councils were allocated N1.46tn from revenue earned in January, February, and March 2026, but shared in February, March, and April, respectively.

The amount represented a 19.05 per cent increase compared with the N1.23tn received by the councils from the corresponding revenue period in 2025.