Nigeria, Nov. 6 -- In July 2024, Nigeria's Supreme Court delivered a historic judgment affirming the financial autonomy of local governments, in a decision many celebrated as the rebirth of grassroots democracy. For decades, the third tier of government had been trapped under the control of state executives, its resources sequestered, and its democratic essence eroded by caretaker committees. Yet, while the judgment marked a monumental victory, autonomy alone does not guarantee accountability. The crucial question now is how to measure whether our local councils are truly governing with transparency, integrity, and service delivery at their core.

It is in answering this question that the Nigerian Local Government Integrity Index (NLGII) ...