Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for stronger international financing to enable cities and regions to implement effective climate action and sustainable development projects.
Sanwo-Olu made the call while speaking alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom at a United Nations High-level Meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition held at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The meeting was convened by the Office of the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, and came shortly after Lagos and California formalised a Sister State partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two regions.
Speaking on the measures being taken to protect more than 22 million Lagos residents from the effects of flooding, rising sea levels and extreme heat, Sanwo-Olu said climate action must be pursued alongside economic development.
According to the governor, states and regions have a critical role to play in achieving global climate goals, noting that they have the capacity to deliver a significant proportion of climate action worldwide.
He highlighted Lagos’ efforts to promote cleaner transportation, particularly against the backdrop of more than 5.2 million vehicles operating across the state.
Sanwo-Olu also pointed to the state’s waste management efforts, noting that Lagos processes more than 5,000 tonnes of waste daily. He said the government was working to transform waste into opportunities in recycling, clean energy production and job creation.
The governor stressed that governments cannot tackle the climate crisis alone, urging the global financial community to provide affordable and long-term financing for subnational governments.
He said Lagos was prepared to contribute its quota to global climate action but required the necessary investments to match the scale of its environmental and developmental challenges.
The governor’s participation at the UN meeting further underscored the emerging partnership between Lagos and California and their shared focus on climate resilience, sustainable development and economic opportunity.
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