Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has called for stronger partnerships and greater access to affordable, long-term finance for states, regions and subnational governments to accelerate climate action.

Mr Sanwo-Olu made the call while addressing heads of state and governments at the United Nations High-level Meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition during the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Titi Oshodi, the governor’s special adviser on climate change, announced this in a statement.

The governor addressed the meeting as a representative of the Under2 Coalition, a global community of state and regional governments committed to ambitious climate action.

The meeting, opened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye, focused on accelerating the energy transition, strengthening adaptation and mobilising climate finance.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said that Lagos was committed to translating climate ambition into practical actions that would protect residents, strengthen the economy and build a more resilient state.

“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,” he said.

He highlighted Lagos’s efforts to address climate challenges associated with rapid urbanisation, including the transition to cleaner transport and efforts to transform more than 5,000 tonnes of solid waste generated daily into economic value.

The governor said the state was deploying recycling, circular economy approaches and clean energy solutions as part of its response to environmental challenges.

“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.

Mr Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of collaboration among states and regions, noting that subnational governments play a significant role in implementing climate action globally.

Standing alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom, Mr Sanwo-Olu said Lagos’s membership in the Under2 Coalition provided opportunities for the state to exchange practical solutions and build partnerships with jurisdictions around the world.

He said Lagos would continue to share its experience as one of Africa’s largest and most dynamic economies, while learning from other jurisdictions.

The governor said that access to finance remained critical to enabling subnational governments to translate climate plans into infrastructure and other projects.

“States and regions need access to affordable, long-term finance that can help to 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,” he said.

He said Lagos would need to build partnerships and mobilise investments to deliver at scale. 

(NAN)