The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Hon. Sunday Dare, has said the financial autonomy granted to Nigeria’s 774 local government councils, coupled with effective Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), will transform grassroots governance and accelerate sustainable development across the country.
Dare stated this while delivering the keynote address at the Gazelle News Annual Lecture and Awards held on July 15, 2026. His lecture, titled “Driving Grassroots Governance with Public-Private Partnership: The Gains, the Pains, the Prospects,” focused on strengthening local governance through collaboration between government, the private sector, civil society and local communities.
According to him, meaningful national development began at the grassroots, stressing that the quality of governance should be measured by the standard of education, healthcare, road infrastructure, security and economic opportunities available in rural communities rather than the number of skyscrapers in major cities.
He described the autonomy granted to local governments under President Tinubu’s administration as one of the most significant governance reforms in Nigeria’s democratic history, noting that it restores the constitutional role of local councils as the closest tier of government to the people.
Dare said the reform ensured that constitutionally allocated resources are paid directly to local governments, empowering them to plan, prioritise and execute projects that address the specific needs of their communities.
“Grassroots governance matters. We can say today that this vision has been significantly strengthened through reforms that reinforce the autonomy of local governments. It represents one of the most consequential governance reforms in Nigeria’s democratic journey,” he said.
He, however, stressed that financial autonomy must be matched with greater responsibility, transparency and accountability.
“Autonomy should not be viewed as an end in itself. It is an opportunity and with that opportunity comes greater responsibility. Financial autonomy must translate into greater transparency, stronger accountability, improved service delivery and more meaningful partnerships with communities and the private sector,” he added.
Explaining the role of Public-Private Partnerships, Dare said PPPs should not be viewed solely as arrangements for delivering mega infrastructure projects such as bridges and airports but as a governance philosophy that promotes collaboration to solve public challenges.
He noted that partnerships between government and private investors could help bridge funding gaps, improve efficiency in project implementation, stimulate innovation, create jobs, strengthen local economies and rebuild citizens’ confidence in governance.
According to him, every successful partnership creates opportunities for young people, women-owned businesses and local suppliers while improving access to essential public services.
Despite the enormous benefits, Dare identified several challenges confronting grassroots partnerships, including weak institutional capacity in many local government councils, inadequate technical expertise, transparency concerns, policy inconsistency, public distrust arising from years of poor service delivery and the tendency for development projects to be abandoned after changes in political leadership.
Nevertheless, he expressed optimism about Nigeria’s prospects, citing the country’s youthful population, vibrant private sector and rapidly expanding digital economy as strong foundations for inclusive development.
He envisioned local governments embracing technology and data-driven governance through digital platforms capable of monitoring school performance, healthcare delivery, agricultural productivity and other critical public services in real time.
To maximise the opportunities presented by local government autonomy and PPPs, Dare proposed five strategic priorities: strengthening local government institutions through professionalisation and capacity building; establishing transparent and competitive procurement systems; promoting community participation in governance; deploying technology to improve accountability and transparency; and measuring governance by improvements in the quality of life of citizens.
He also emphasised the importance of transformational leadership, urging local government chairmen and other public office holders to become conveners who unite government, businesses and communities around shared development objectives.
According to him, the leaders who will shape Nigeria’s future are those who move beyond exercising authority to building enduring partnerships that deliver tangible benefits to the people.
“Nigeria’s greatest opportunity does not reside solely in Abuja or our state capitals. It resides in our wards, our villages and our towns. That is where governance must be felt, and where prosperity must begin,” he said.
He concluded by calling on governments, businesses, development partners and citizens to embrace collaboration as the pathway to building a resilient, inclusive and prosperous Nigeria.
Quoting an African proverb, Dare said, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” urged stakeholders to make partnership the driving force behind grassroots development and national progress.
