FAAC: 53% for 1 FG, 27% for 36 States, 20% for 774 LGs — Tinubu’s Message to Nigerians: “Hold Your Governors Accountable”

Nigeria’s Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) sharing formula has once again raised an important question about who should be held responsible for the condition of Nigerians at the state and grassroots levels.

The figures are often simplified in public discussions as 53% for the Federal Government, 27% for the 36 states and 20% for the 774 local governments. However, the officially published vertical allocation formula is more precisely 52.68% for the Federal Government, 26.72% for the states and 20.60% for local governments. This applies to the distributable revenue from the Federation Account after applicable deductions and excludes VAT, which has a separate sharing formula.

In practical terms, the argument being made is straightforward: if the Federal Government receives roughly 53% while states and local governments collectively receive about 47%, Nigerians should not automatically blame Abuja for every failure of governance in their communities.

And this is where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has repeatedly directed attention towards the governors.

The President has urged Nigerians to pay closer attention to what is happening at the state and local government levels, arguing that development cannot be driven by the Federal Government alone. He has specifically called on Nigerians to hold their governors accountable and ensure that state governments take responsibility for development within their jurisdictions.

At one point, Tinubu bluntly observed that when politicians need votes, they go to the grassroots, but after winning elections, attention often shifts towards Abuja. His argument is that the people who live, work and conduct their businesses in local communities should also demand accountability from the leaders closest to them.

The financial figures make the debate even more interesting.

For example, in the FAAC distribution for August 2026, the Federal Government received ₦804.897 billion, states received ₦794.313 billion, while local government councils received ₦555.142 billion from the distributable allocation. In addition, oil-producing states received ₦184.388 billion in derivation revenue.

This means the conversation should not simply be “What is Tinubu doing with federal money?” It should also be “What are our governors and local government authorities doing with the resources available to them?”

There is, however, another important dimension to the argument: local government financial autonomy.

The Tinubu administration has strongly supported the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment affirming the financial independence of Nigeria’s 774 local governments. Tinubu has warned governors that continued failure to respect the judgment could eventually force the Federal Government to take further action to ensure that local government allocations reach the councils directly.

That position has significant implications. If local governments receive funds directly and become genuinely financially independent, citizens may have a clearer basis for demanding accountability for roads, primary healthcare, markets, sanitation, local security initiatives and other grassroots responsibilities.

So, perhaps the message from Abuja is becoming increasingly clear:

Don't only look towards the Presidency. Look at your governor. Look at your local government chairman. Look at your councillor. Ask questions. Demand accountability.

Because while the Federal Government controls a significant portion of Federation Account revenue, state and local governments also control substantial public resources.

The real question, therefore, is not simply who gets what percentage of FAAC.

The bigger question is: what does each tier of government do with the money it receives — and who is holding them accountable?

🚶 Maybe Abuja is saying: “I have heard you. Now go and ask your governor too.”