Lagos State has 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) officially recognised under the Nigerian Constitution, in addition to 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created by the state government to bring administration closer to residents. This article lists all 20 constitutionally recognised LGAs in Lagos State, their administrative headquarters, and the wider divisional structure they fall under. It also explains the difference between an LGA and an LCDA, since the two terms are often confused when people search for local government information in Lagos.
How Lagos State’s Local Government System Is Structured
Lagos State sits in the southwestern part of Nigeria and is organised into five administrative divisions that predate the current local government arrangement: Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island (also called Eko), and Epe. These five divisions are commonly referred to by the acronym IBILE, formed from the first letters of each division’s name. Each division groups together a number of the 20 LGAs, and Ikeja, the divisional headquarters of the Ikeja division, also doubles as the capital of Lagos State as a whole.
Within this five-division framework, Lagos operates 20 Local Government Areas, which are the units directly recognised by the Nigerian Constitution and which receive statutory allocations from the Federation Account. In addition to these 20 LGAs, the state government created 37 Local Council Development Areas in 2003 to improve grassroots administration in a state with one of the highest population densities in the country. LCDAs function similarly to LGAs in terms of day-to-day administration, handling matters such as primary healthcare, local roads, markets, and sanitation, but they are creations of the Lagos State House of Assembly rather than constitutionally recognised local government units, and this distinction matters for revenue allocation and legal status.
Complete List of the 20 Local Government Areas in Lagos State and Their Headquarters
The table below lists all 20 LGAs in Lagos State in alphabetical order, along with the town or area that serves as each LGA’s administrative headquarters, and the IBILE division each LGA belongs to.
| S/N | Local Government Area | Headquarters | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agege | Agege | Ikeja |
| 2 | Ajeromi-Ifelodun | Amukoko | Badagry |
| 3 | Alimosho | Ikotun | Ikeja |
| 4 | Amuwo-Odofin | Festac Town | Badagry |
| 5 | Apapa | Apapa | Lagos Island |
| 6 | Badagry | Badagry (Ajara) | Badagry |
| 7 | Epe | Epe | Epe |
| 8 | Eti-Osa | Iggbo Efon | Lagos Island |
| 9 | Ibeju-Lekki | Igando-Oloja | Epe |
| 10 | Ifako-Ijaiye | Iju | Ikeja |
| 11 | Ikeja | Ikeja | Ikeja |
| 12 | Ikorodu | Ikorodu | Ikorodu |
| 13 | Kosofe | Ojota | Ikorodu |
| 14 | Lagos Island | Isale Eko | Lagos Island |
| 15 | Lagos Mainland | Ebute Metta | Lagos Island |
| 16 | Mushin | Mushin | Ikeja |
| 17 | Ojo | Ojo Town | Badagry |
| 18 | Oshodi-Isolo | Oshodi | Ikeja |
| 19 | Shomolu | Shomolu | Ikeja |
| 20 | Surulere | Surulere | Lagos Island |
This list represents the standard administrative arrangement used by the Lagos State Government and its agencies for identifying local government offices across the state.
Notes on Each Local Government Area
Agege sits within the Ikeja division and has grown from a farming settlement into a densely populated commercial area known for kola nut trading and its position along the Lagos-Abeokuta corridor. Its secretariat is located on Ijaiye Road, Agege.
Ajeromi-Ifelodun is one of the most densely populated LGAs in Nigeria, covering communities such as Ajegunle, Amukoko, and Olodi. Its secretariat is on Bale Street, Amukoko.
Alimosho is the largest LGA in Lagos State by population and land area, and it has been subdivided into several LCDAs including Ayobo-Ipaja, Egbe-Idimu, Igando-Ikotun, and Mosan-Okunola. The main LGA secretariat remains at Bada Street, Ikotun.
Amuwo-Odofin covers Festac Town, one of Lagos’s best-known planned residential estates, along with Kirikiri and Mile 2. Its secretariat is on 41 Road, off 4th Avenue, Festac Town.
Apapa is home to Nigeria’s busiest seaports, including the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, making it one of the most economically significant LGAs in the state despite its relatively small land area. Its secretariat sits on Burma Road, Apapa.
Badagry stretches along the Atlantic coastline toward the Republic of Benin and holds major historical significance as a former slave trade port, now home to heritage sites such as the Badagry Heritage Museum. Its secretariat is located in Ajara, Badagry.
Epe is the headquarters of the Epe division and covers a largely riverine and semi-rural area on the eastern side of the state, with fishing and farming as major economic activities. Its secretariat is at Ita Marun, Epe.
Eti-Osa covers Lagos’s most affluent districts, including Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and Lekki, and has become the state’s fastest-growing zone for real estate and business investment. Its secretariat is at Iggbo Efon, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
Ibeju-Lekki is the largest LGA by land area in Lagos State and hosts major infrastructure projects, including the Lekki Free Trade Zone and the Dangote Refinery. Its secretariat is at Igando-Oloja.
Ifako-Ijaiye was carved out of the old Agege LGA and covers residential communities such as Ifako, Iju, and Ojokoro. Its secretariat is located along Old Akute Road, Iju.
Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, hosts the seat of the state government, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, and the Alausa secretariat complex where most state ministries are based. The LGA secretariat itself is located on Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja.
Ikorodu is the headquarters of the Ikorodu division and has grown rapidly due to its relatively lower cost of housing compared to central Lagos, drawing significant residential development in recent years. Its secretariat is on Otunba T.O.S. Benson Road, Ikorodu.
Kosofe covers communities such as Ogudu, Ketu, and Mile 12, an area known for one of Lagos’s largest food distribution markets. Its secretariat is on Ogudu Road, Ojota.
Lagos Island, historically known as Isale Eko, is the oldest part of Lagos and was the administrative and commercial centre of the city before the growth of the mainland districts. Its secretariat is located at the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multi-Purpose Centre, Adeniji Adele Road, Isale Eko.
Lagos Mainland covers Yaba, Ebute Metta, and Iddo, forming a mixed residential, educational, and commercial hub that includes several tertiary institutions. Its secretariat is at 2 Ondo Street, Ebute Metta.
Mushin is one of the most commercially active LGAs on the mainland, known for its large informal markets and dense residential neighbourhoods. Its secretariat is at 82/84 Palm Avenue Road, Mushin.
Ojo covers a large stretch of Lagos’s western axis, including communities near the Lagos State University main campus and the Nigerian Navy’s Ojo cantonment. Its secretariat is on Olojo Drive, Ojo Town.
Oshodi-Isolo is a major transport hub connecting several parts of Lagos, historically known for congestion around the Oshodi interchange before its redevelopment into a modern transport terminal. Its secretariat is on Oyetayo Street, Oshodi.
Shomolu (also spelled Somolu) sits close to Bariga and Yaba and is known for printing and publishing businesses that have operated in the area for decades. Its secretariat is on Humuani Street, Shomolu.
Surulere is a long-established residential and sporting district, home to the National Stadium and Teslim Balogun Stadium. Its secretariat is on Alhaji Masha Road, Surulere.
LGAs and Their Local Council Development Areas
Several of the 20 LGAs have been further divided into LCDAs to improve administrative reach in densely populated zones. Alimosho, for example, oversees LCDAs such as Agbado/Oke-Odo, Ayobo-Ipaja, Egbe-Idimu, Igando-Ikotun, Ikosi-Isheri (shared with Kosofe), and Mosan-Okunola. Ikeja LGA is linked to Ojodu and Onigbongbo LCDAs, while Kosofe is linked to Agboyi-Ketu and Ikosi-Isheri. Eti-Osa is linked to Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru-Victoria Island, and Epe is linked to Eredo and Ikosi-Ejirin, alongside Lekki, which falls under Ibeju-Lekki’s administrative reach. This layered structure means that a resident’s precise local council contact point may be an LCDA office rather than the main LGA secretariat, even though the LGA remains the constitutionally recognised unit for that area.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many local governments are in Lagos State? Lagos State has 20 Local Government Areas officially recognised by the Nigerian Constitution, in addition to 37 Local Council Development Areas created by the state government, bringing the total number of local administrative councils to 57.
What is the capital of Lagos State? Ikeja is the capital of Lagos State and also serves as the headquarters of the Ikeja LGA and the wider Ikeja administrative division.
What does IBILE mean in relation to Lagos State? IBILE is an acronym formed from the first letters of the five administrative divisions of Lagos State: Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, and Epe.
What is the difference between an LGA and an LCDA in Lagos State? An LGA is a local government area formally recognised under the Nigerian Constitution and eligible for direct allocations from the Federation Account. An LCDA is a smaller administrative council created by the Lagos State House of Assembly to support local governance within an existing LGA, without the same constitutional recognition or direct federal allocation.
Which is the largest local government area in Lagos State? Alimosho is the largest LGA in Lagos State by both population and, alongside Ibeju-Lekki, by land area, which is why it has been split into several LCDAs to manage its size more effectively.