President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged media executives in Nigeria to extend the same level of scrutiny applied to the federal government to state governments and local government administrations.
The president made the appeal during a meeting with media proprietors and executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The call comes amid ongoing discussions about governance, fiscal responsibility and transparency across Nigeria’s federal, state and local government structures.
The Nigerian federal system assigns different administrative and financial responsibilities to each level of government.
In recent years, debates about financial autonomy and accountability have intensified, particularly after a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of Nigeria granting financial autonomy to local government councils. The ruling allows local governments to receive their allocations directly.
Media organisations traditionally play a central role in reporting on government activities, policy decisions and public spending across all levels of governance.
During the meeting with media leaders, President Tinubu asked journalists and media owners to also monitor the activities of state and local governments.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money.
But how they use it is in your hands, so don’t bombard me alone. Look at local government too, and equally, the sub-national,” the president said.
Tinubu also stated that reforms introduced by his administration have improved the financial position of state governments. According to him, no state is currently borrowing money to pay workers’ salaries.
“Today, there is no state that is borrowing to pay salaries of employees,” he said, adding that economic management efforts were aimed at stabilising the country’s finances.
The president acknowledged that media criticism of his administration had been intense but said such scrutiny had encouraged him to improve performance and decision-making.
Tinubu also disclosed that he regularly reads newspapers and follows media reports as part of staying informed about national developments.
The president’s remarks highlight the role of the media in strengthening accountability across Nigeria’s governance structure.
By encouraging scrutiny beyond the federal government, the statement underscores the importance of monitoring how public funds are managed at state and local government levels.
Greater transparency and accountability across these institutions can influence governance outcomes, public service delivery and policy implementation in Nigeria’s states and local communities.
For citizens, businesses and civil society organisations, access to credible reporting about government spending and performance remains a key part of democratic participation and oversight.
