By Hon. Sunday Dare CON
Protocols
It is a profound honour to stand before you today at the Annual Public Lecture of The Gazelle News. I extend my sincere gratitude to the Publisher and the Organising Committee for this invitation to address a subject that sits at the very heart of our nation’s development journey: Driving Grassroots Governance with Public-Private Partnership (PPP):
The Gains, the Pains, and the Prospects.
I also wish to acknowledge the distinguished personalities on the high table, our esteemed award recipients, members of the diplomatic community, captains of industry, public servants, traditional rulers, members of the media, and all our distinguished guests.
Introduction: The Heart of Development
Every nation rises or falls on the strength of its communities. True development is not merely measured by the architectural marvels or skyscrapers in our capital cities.
Rather, it is measured by the quality of primary schools in our rural hinterlands, the condition of feeder roads, the accessibility of healthcare, the productivity of our smallholder farmers, the safety of our neighborhoods, and the tangible opportunities available to our youth where they live.
This is why grassroots governance matters. Local government councils were never conceived as mere administrative outposts. They were designed to bring government to the doorstep of the citizen—to make it visible, responsive, and accountable.
Yet, we must be candid: the expectations of our citizens have evolved faster than the capacity of government to meet them. Public resources are finite, while the needs of our population grow exponentially. Against this backdrop, one truth is clear: while government cannot do everything alone, it must ensure that everything gets done. This is the promise of Public-Private Partnership.
A Historic Turning Point: The Autonomy Era
As we discuss the mechanics of grassroots governance, we must acknowledge a historic reality that serves as our foundation. Under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the nation’s 774 local government councils have finally secured full Local Government Autonomy.
This represents an unmatched milestone in the history of Nigeria. It is a bold, strategic policy shift that effectively domiciles accountable governance directly into the hands and domains of our rural dwellers.
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By removing the historical bottlenecks that stifled local progress, President Tinubu has provided the political infrastructure necessary for local leaders to act as true chief executives of their domains.
With this autonomy comes the mandate for innovation; local governments are now empowered to strike partnerships, attract investment, and drive development without the encumbrances of the past.
** Grassroot governance matters. We can say today that 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. By ensuring that constitutionally allocated resources reach local governments directly, the reform restores the capacity of councils to plan, prioritise and deliver development closer to the people.
However, 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. Only then will autonomy achieve its true purpose of improving the daily lives of Nigerians.
Local governments were never conceived merely as administrative outposts. They were designed to bring governance closer to the people—to make government visible, responsive and accountable.
Understanding PPP Beyond Infrastructure
When many hear “Public-Private Partnership,” they think only of massive bridges or airports. However, at the grassroots level, PPP must be viewed as a governance philosophy. It is a framework for collaboration between government, private businesses, civil society, and local communities to solve public problems. It is about marrying public authority with private innovation and community ownership to achieve sustainable development.
The Gains: Why We Must Collaborate
The benefits of sincere collaboration are already becoming manifest:
Expanding Resource Access: Private capital bridges the gap between limited budgets and the infinite needs of our communities.
Driving Efficiency: The private sector’s focus on performance metrics and timely execution can breathe new life into stagnant public projects.
Fostering Innovation: Technology companies are already transforming how we handle agriculture, education, and revenue collection.
Economic Stimulation: Every successful partnership creates a ripple effect—jobs for local youth, opportunities for local suppliers, and growth for women-led SMEs.
Restoring Trust: Citizens judge governance by results. When PPPs deliver functional health centers and reliable water systems, the social contract is renewed.
The Pains: Acknowledging the Hurdles
We must not ignore the friction points:
Weak Institutional Capacity: Many councils lack the technical expertise to structure and negotiate complex agreements.
Transparency Gaps: Without robust procurement oversight, partnerships risk being misused.
Policy Inconsistency: Investors thrive on predictability; frequent policy reversals are the enemy of long-term development.
The Trust Deficit: Years of unmet expectations have left some communities skeptical of government-led initiatives.
Political Cycles: Development requires continuity. We must ensure that community projects survive the transition between political administrations.
The Prospects: The Future is Data-Driven
Despite these pains, I remain profoundly optimistic. We have a youthful, energetic population, a vibrant private sector, and a booming digital economy.
Imagine a future where local governments operate on real-time, data-driven decision-making—where digital platforms track school performance, hospital bed occupancy, and agricultural yields.
Imagine young local innovators partnering with councils to solve unique local challenges. This is not a dream; it is the inevitable direction of modern governance.
A New Partnership Compact: Five Priorities
To capitalize on our new autonomy and the potential of PPPs, I propose the following:
Professionalization: Strengthen local government institutions through capacity building and modern management systems.
Transparency Frameworks: Establish clear, competitive, and predictable procurement frameworks that inspire investor confidence.
Community-Centricity: Ensure the people are active participants, not just passive beneficiaries.
Technological Integration: Leverage tech to drive accountability and transparency at every level.
Human-Centric Metrics: Measure our success by the improvement of human dignity and the transformation of lives.
The Role of Leadership
While policies and funding are essential, leadership is the decisive factor. Transformational leaders recognize that they do not possess all the answers.
Instead, they act as conveners—bringing together the government, the private sector, and the community to pursue a shared vision.
In this new era of autonomy, the leaders who will shape Nigeria’s future are those who move beyond exercising authority and begin building powerful, lasting partnerships.
Conclusion
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.
The task ahead is a collective responsibility. It is larger than any one government, business, or civil society group. It belongs to all of us. As an African proverb wisely reminds us: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Let us embrace partnership—not as an option, but as the primary pathway to a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria.
Thank you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Being Keynote address delivered at the Gazelle News Annual Lecture Awards in Lagos By Honourable Sunday Dare,CON. Special Adviser Media to President Bola Tinubu. July 15th 2026.
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