LAGOS/Nigeria: The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) and the Department of Climate Change (DCC) have intensified efforts to strengthen climate governance at the state level, following the release of Nigeria’s second climate ranking. As part of its COP30 engagements in Belém, Brazil, SPP convened a high-level strategy meeting between the Under2 Coalition Secretariat and senior state climate officials to enhance visibility, coordination and financing for subnational climate action.
The session focused on positioning Nigerian states to assert a stronger presence at global climate forums and attract increased investment for renewable energy, adaptation initiatives and emissions-reduction programmes. Participants included Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe and Ms Dolapo John of the DCC; Champa Patel and Toby Walker of the Climate Group; and climate officials from Ogun, Niger, Kano and Osun states, among others. Facilitation was led by SPP’s Mr Gboyega Olorunfemi.
With over 270 member governments, the Under2 Coalition remains the world’s largest network of subnational entities committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Patel stressed that Nigerian states are pivotal to the climate transition because of their population size and vulnerability to extreme weather, deforestation and energy-access challenges.
She highlighted the increasing roles of Taraba and Cross River at recent global climate events—from the Bonn negotiations to the Africa Climate Week in Addis Ababa—and expressed the Coalition’s commitment to ensuring Nigerian states gain broader access and visibility at future summits.
Patel noted that the coalition is deepening support for state-level action through technical assistance, feasibility studies and blended finance to help governments prepare bankable proposals capable of attracting global climate finance. She also announced upcoming investment dialogues scheduled from 2024 to 2026, which will culminate in the unveiling of the Global State and Regional Finance Accelerator at COP31.
The accelerator, she said, will serve as a gateway linking state-level climate projects with private and institutional investors, unlocking opportunities for renewable infrastructure expansion, early-warning systems, adaptation innovations and emissions-reduction pathways across Nigeria.
Dr Abiola-Awe commended the progress already demonstrated by several Nigerian states, noting that innovations reflected in the recent climate ranking could serve as models for international replication. She cited DCC initiatives such as the Community of Practice for Commissioners of Environment—supported by PACE and the UK FCDO—and nationwide GHG reporting and climate-finance capacity building led by SPP.
According to her, these platforms can be scaled across Africa and offer strong entry points for deeper engagement with the Under2 Coalition, particularly for state climate advisers and directors-general.
Olorunfemi praised participants for their swift response and emphasized that Nigeria’s climate ambition will accelerate once global coalitions establish consistent channels for collaboration with subnational actors.
The reinforced partnership between DCC, SPP and the Under2 Coalition Secretariat is expected to significantly enhance visibility, coordination and funding opportunities for Nigerian states while advancing the country’s global climate leadership.
Gboyega Olorunfemi, Project Lead / Senior Policy Analyst, SPP, and Dolapo John, Subnational Desk, DCC, report from Belém, Brazil.
