The House of Representatives has approved a bill seeking to recognise the 37 development area councils in Lagos as full-fledged Local Government Areas (LGAs).
If signed into law, the bill will raise the number of LGAs in Lagos from 20 to 57.
The legislation, titled A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to Accommodate the Thirty-Seven (37) Development Area Councils of Lagos State as Full-Fledged Local Government Areas, was among 42 constitution amendment bills passed by the lower chamber on Wednesday.
It was co-sponsored by James Abiodun Faleke (Ikeja federal constituency), Babajimi Benson (Ikorodu federal constituency), Enitan Dolapo Badru (Lagos Island I federal constituency), and 19 other lawmakers.
The bill scaled second reading during a plenary session presided over by Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House.
If enacted, the total number of LGAs in Nigeria will rise from 774 to 811.
The change would also make Lagos the state with the highest number of LGAs in the country, overtaking Kano (44) and Katsina (34).