Local government may be defined as a government established through an Act at the local level and to deal with specific matters as it affects them. Under the 1963 Republican constitution, local government authorities were created mainly to deal with matters of local concern, e.g. markets, feeder roads and motor parks.

The Lagos Constitutional Conference was held in Lagos in 1958 as a followup to the London Conference of 1957. The major issues discussed and resolved at the conference included the following.