THE IMPACT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF JALINGO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, TARABA STATE

Local government autonomy appears to play an important role in fostering grassroots development, promoting efficient service delivery, and supporting sustainable governance. In Nigeria, however, it seems that financial, political, and administrative constraints have limited the effectiveness of local governments in fulfilling these roles. This study explores the possible impact of local government administration on socio-economic development, employing a mixed-method research design. Primary data were gathered through surveys, and hypotheses were tested using the Chi-square (χ²) test. The results suggest a statistically significant relationship between local government administration and socio-economic development (χ² = 2794.3, p = 0.000), a notable impact of local government efforts on socio-economic development (χ² = 1290.5, p = 0.000), and a measurable effect of financial, infrastructural, and governance-related challenges on local government performance (χ² = 735.1, p = 0.000). It seems that addressing issues of autonomy, revenue generation, and systemic challenges may improve governance outcomes. This study offers empirical insights that could contribute to ongoing discussions in governance literature regarding the potential effects of local government autonomy on development in Nigeria.