Top 5 Richest Local Government Areas in Nigeria (2024)

The various local government areas that are rich in Nigeria are never dependent on the state or federal government for allocations.

Out of the 774 local governments areas spread across the 36 states of the federation, 5 stand out as the wealthiest and have resources including other sources of income to cater for the grass root citizens.

In one of our previous post, we wrote that a local government is the lowest tier of administration within a given state headed by the chairman and administered by the local government council made up of elected members known as Councillors.

You might want to know factors for ranking or classifying these wealthy LGA’s. The wealth of these areas mainly comes from collecting fees from top companies and individuals operating within the local government.

Also, another source of finance for LGA’s is the allocation that comes from the federal and state levels which aids in carrying out projects in the area.

Most local government in the country also make money by licensing different vehicles plying the roads of the area whether its public transport, commercial or private cars.

All these and more are geared towards bringing more investment into the local government which in turn lead to increase in revenue generation for such LGA’s.

We now list the top 5 richest local government areas in Nigeria in their respective order of importance.

Obio Akpor

This local government area is the richest in Nigeria. Obio Akpor is one of the major cities in the Niger Delta region located in River State, one of the wealthiest states in the country this 2018.

It will shock you to know that a large chunk of the nation’s wealth comes from this LGA. With a total area of 250 sq. km in size, the population figure of this area is 900, 000 persons.

The natural resources found in this area is mostly natural gas and crude oil. The residents are also good in agriculture. Obio Akpor LGA is divided into seven wards.

Ikeja

Ikeja LGA is the capital of Lagos, the richest state in Nigeria. This local government is the second wealthiest local government in the country.

Apart from being one of the richest LGA’s, this commercial city has an international airport, many hotels and reservations areas. The natural resources found in the Ikeja includes: coal, natural gas and even water.

All these contribute a great deal to its wealth.

Kurmi

Kurmi is the third richest local government in Nigeria, Situated in Taraba state, this LGA has fertile land, making it the agricultural hub of the nation.

Its residents are mostly involved in farming agricultural products like oranges, cocoa, banana, beans, rice and so on. Most of these crops are exported to foreign countries which aids in foreign exchange.

Kurmi LGA are the largest producers of food in Nigeria today.

Esan Central

Esan central is ranked fourth richest LGA in Nigeria today. This LGA is located in Edo state whose capital is Benin, an ancient kingdom in Nigeria.

Just like Kurmi, the residents of Esan local government are concerned with agriculture. The area is also developed as there are different industries, hotels, hospitals and factories which help generate income for the LGA.

Etinan

This is the 5th richest LGA in Nigeria. This local government is located in Akwa Ibom State. To many the richest local government in oil production is Etinan but this has been debated for a while.

You can find skills like crafting, pottery in the area. The residents are said to be industrious and accommodating. No wonder they are dubbed the most peaceful area in the south-south region.

Other Informatiion on LGA in Nigeria to note:

Apart from the top 5 wealthiest local government areas listed above, here are other things you need know

• The poorest local government area is in Sokoto state which doubles as the poorest state in Nigeria.
• Eti osa is the most developed local government area in Nigeria located in Lagos.
• The richest state in Nigeria 2023 in terms of internal generated revenue (IGR) is Lagos state.
• The most populated local government area in the country is Alimosho LGA in Lagos.
• The largest state in Nigeria in terms of land mass is Niger state.
• The oldest local govt area in Nigeria is Akoko Edo situated in Edo state.