Abstract
Local governments play a crucial role in developing democratic regimes and establishing stable mechanisms for economic and social development. The level of management capacity is a key element of success. Nigeria, the most populous African nation, provides a case study in the difficulties of establishing viable local units of government. Among the potent barriers to local-government capacity in Nigeria are political instability, financial dependence, the power of traditional rulers, and an absence of a tradition of accommodation between elected and professional officials.

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