Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for stronger partnerships and increased access to affordable, long-term financing for states, regions and other subnational governments to accelerate climate action.
Sanwo-Olu made the call while addressing world leaders at the United Nations High-level Meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The meeting, convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, focused on accelerating the energy transition, strengthening climate adaptation and mobilising finance for climate action.
Sanwo-Olu addressed the meeting as a representative of the Under2 Coalition, a global network of state and regional governments committed to climate action.
‘For Lagos, climate action is about turning ambition into opportunity: protecting our people, strengthening our economy and building a more resilient and prosperous state for generations to come. Climate action is not separate from development. It is central to how we build our future,’ the governor said.
He highlighted Lagos’ efforts to address climate challenges associated with rapid urban growth, including moves towards cleaner transportation and initiatives to derive economic value from more than 5,000 tonnes of solid waste generated daily through recycling, circular economy approaches and clean energy.
‘These are not abstract climate policies. They are decisions that can create jobs, improve services, strengthen resilience and make everyday life better for millions of people,’ he said.
The governor also stressed the role of subnational governments in implementing climate policies, saying stronger cooperation among states and regions would help accelerate climate action.
Sanwo-Olu, who appeared alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom, said Lagos’ participation in the Under2 Coalition provided an opportunity to exchange experience with other jurisdictions and develop partnerships.
He also called for greater access to affordable, long-term financing to enable subnational governments to translate climate plans into infrastructure and other projects.
‘States and regions need access to affordable, long-term finance that can help turn strong plans into infrastructure on the ground. We need development finance institutions, investors and the private sector to see the opportunity in climate investment in emerging markets. Because the opportunity is enormous.
‘Our message from Lagos is simple: states, regions and subnational governments are ready to deliver. We have ambition. We have the responsibility. And increasingly, we have the solutions. Now we need to build the partnerships and mobilise the investment that will allow us to deliver them at scale,’ he said.
The governor’s intervention comes as Lagos prepares the next phase of its climate strategy through the Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy (OCCE).
The office, led by the Special Adviser to the governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, is working to translate the state’s climate priorities under its State-Determined Contributions (SDCs) Framework into projects and implementation plans.
Oshodi said the state was also focusing on creating investment opportunities around its climate priorities.
‘The SDC Framework gives us the policy direction, but policy ambition alone does not move capital. Our focus now is on building the bridge between climate ambition and investment – developing investable opportunities, strengthening the data and measurement systems around them and creating pathways for investors, financial institutions, development finance institutions and businesses to participate,’ she said.
Lagos is also developing a Lagos Climate Finance and Investment Platform to connect the state’s climate priorities with capital, technology, financial institutions and implementation partners.
The platform is expected to focus on areas including climate finance, deal-making, Article 6 and climate assets, digital measurement and verification, as well as international partnerships.
Sanwo-Olu’s UN engagement forms part of Lagos’ wider international climate programme ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Trkiye, where the state plans to engage investors, development finance institutions, financial institutions, project developers and technology partners on its climate investment priorities.