Analysis: Alimosho Stands Out As LGAs Share ₦262bn in Five Months

Analysis: Alimosho Stands Out As LGAs Share ₦262bn in Five Months

Lagos State’s 20 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas received a combined ₦262.21 billion in net allocations between January and May 2026, according to figures circulating in the public domain.

The size of the allocation raises a fundamental question about governance at the grassroots: what exactly did Lagos residents get in return for the billions of naira that flowed to their councils?
Based on the figures provided, Alimosho received the highest allocation at about ₦17 billion, followed by Ajeromi-Ifelodun with ₦14.18 billion and Kosofe with ₦14.03 billion.

Mushin received ₦13.90 billion, while Oshodi-Isolo got ₦13.85 billion. Ojo, Ikorodu and Surulere also received more than ₦13 billion each during the five-month period.

At the other end of the table, Ibeju-Lekki received about ₦11.55 billion, while Lagos Island, Epe and Apapa received ₦11.94 billion, ₦11.97 billion and ₦11.99 billion respectively.

Put differently, the average allocation across the 20 councils was roughly ₦13.1 billion in just five months.

That translates to an average of more than ₦2.6 billion per month per council, although the actual figures varied from one local government to another.

Alimosho stands out with approximately ₦17 billion, accounting for about 6.5 per cent of the total amount listed.

What visible projects and services can residents of Alimosho point to that correspond with the scale of this allocation?

The same question should be asked in Ajeromi, Kosofe, Mushin, Oshodi, Ojo and the other councils.

Residents should be able to identify improvements in roads, drainage, waste management, primary healthcare, markets, schools, street lighting, environmental sanitation and other areas that fall within the responsibilities of grassroots administration.

Money Alone Is Not Development
However, the figures should not be interpreted to mean that every naira received by a council is available for capital projects.

Local government allocations can cover recurrent obligations, personnel costs, statutory responsibilities and other expenditures. Therefore, the real issue is not simply how much money came in, but how the money was appropriated and spent.

A council that receives ₦12 billion cannot automatically be accused of wasting ₦12 billion simply because residents cannot see ₦12 billion worth of new infrastructure.

Each council should be able to publish its revenue inflows, approved budgets, actual expenditure, ongoing projects, completed projects and procurement records.
From Allocation to Accountability
The five-month figures provide an opportunity to move the conversation about local government beyond political arguments.

For each of the 20 councils, residents should be asking:
How much was received?
How much was spent on salaries and administration?
How much went into capital projects?
What projects were awarded?
How much did each project cost?
Who were the contractors?
How many projects have been completed?
And, most importantly:
Can residents see and use the results?

This is where the debate over the ₦262.21 billion becomes meaningful.
The real measure of local government performance is not the amount of money received from the federation account. It is the extent to which those resources are converted into better roads, cleaner communities, functional health centres, improved markets, effective waste management, quality schools and other services that directly affect residents.
Five months is long enough for residents to demand answers, but the figures alone are not enough to reach a verdict.

The next step should therefore be a council-by-council examination of the 2026 budgets, expenditure records and projects delivered between January and May.

Until that is done, the ₦262 billion remains a striking figure—but not yet a complete story.

The question is no longer simply, “How much did the councils receive?” It is: “What did Lagos residents get for it?”