The range of services provided by Local Government is in response to the needs and priorities determined by local communities.

Most people are not fully aware that Councils provide quite a range of services and so only a few people understand this diverse range of services.

 

What Councils must do

Mostly Councils decide what services they will provide locally, however there are some services which Councils are required to provide by legislation. These include:

* planning and development services, including building assessment;
* some environmental health services, such as monitoring cooling towers for Legionnaire's Disease;
* some administrative requirements, such as preparing strategic plans for the area, maintaining an office, employing a Chief Executive Officer and supporting the elected Council.

What Councils do by choice

Other services provided and activities undertaken or funded by LGA's in Nigeria are listed below:

* Immunisation
* Libraries with books
* Control of public nuisances
* Monitoring of sanitary conditions
* Control of pest animals and plants
* Roads(local roads - that is, not national highways or State arterial roads)
* Stormwater drainage
* Parks, recreation centres and gardens
* Street lighting
* On street parking
* Traffic management
* Rubbish collection and disposal
* Community centres
* Community development programs
* Arts and cultural programs
* Employment /Training Programs
* Economic Development
* Festivals and events
* Cemeteries
* Business support
* Crime prevention
* Community leadership and advocacy
* Septic Tank effluent disposal schemes

Whether a service is a legislative requirement of Councils, or is provided by local choice, the Local Government Act requires that a Council is "responsive to the needs, interests and aspirations of individuals and groups within its jusrisdiction