Decentralization and Service Delivery: Evaluating the Efficiency of Local Government Administration in Southwest Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/Keywords:
Decentralization, Service delivery, Administrative efficiency, Fiscal autonomyAbstract
This study examined the efficiency of local government administration in service delivery within the context of decentralization in Southwest Nigeria. Despite constitutional provisions for decentralization, local governments in the region have continued to exhibit poor service outcomes, raising concerns about their administrative, fiscal, and political autonomy. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, involving a sample of 400 respondents drawn from local government officials, civil society members, and community stakeholders across the six Southwest states. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on a 4-point Likert scale and analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and one-sample t-tests. The findings revealed that administrative, fiscal, and political decentralization significantly enhance service delivery, while institutional and systemic challenges—such as weak interdepartmental coordination, corruption, and limited citizen engagement—undermine effectiveness. The study concluded that although decentralization improves local government efficiency, its impact is curtailed by operational bottlenecks. It recommends strengthening local autonomy, improving fiscal allocation frameworks, and instituting accountability mechanisms to optimize service delivery in decentralized governance.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Agboola Isiaka Tunji, Aliu Zainul Abideen
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