Market Development and Local Government Revenue Generation in Imo State: A Study of Owerri North Local Government Area

This study investigates the relationship between market development programs and internally generated revenue in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, South East Nigeria. Local government councils are constitutionally mandated to levy and collect market fees, stall rents, and commercial taxes, yet revenue collection in many councils is characterized by inefficiency, leakages, and underutilization of market facilities as revenue-generating assets. The study uses a survey design, collecting primary data from 180 respondents including market traders, local government revenue officers, market association officials, and town union representatives. The Public Revenue Theory and the Market Development Framework guide the conceptual analysis. Secondary data includes Imo State Ministry of Commerce reports, Owerri North Council revenue records, and recent academic literature on local government finance in South East Nigeria. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis are used to assess the relationship between market infrastructure quality, trader density, and revenue collection performance. Expected findings indicate that improved market facilities and formalized trader registration systems lead to significant increases in internally generated revenue. Recommendations include construction of modern market infrastructure, digitization of market revenue collection, establishment of transparent levy-setting processes, and periodic consultation with market associations in revenue planning. Keywords: Market development, revenue generation, local government, Owerri North, Imo State.