Africa’s climate conversation is set to move from commitments to implementation as policymakers, investors, businesses and development experts converge in Abuja for the fourth Africa Climate Forum (ACF) 2026.

The two-day forum, organised by the Global Centre for Law, Business and Economy (GCLBE), will hold on October 13 and 14 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, with the theme, “Implementing in Lockstep: Public-Private Action for Green Outcomes.”

The organisers said the forum would focus on how governments, businesses, investors and institutions can work together to turn Africa’s climate ambitions into measurable outcomes, particularly against the backdrop of persistent challenges around climate finance, coordination and execution.

Convener of the Africa Climate Forum and Director-General of GCLBE, Prof. George Nwangwu, said climate action required stronger collaboration among institutions and sectors.

“Climate action requires more than ambition. It requires governments, businesses and financial institutions to move together. We have an opportunity to refine our partnerships, forge new ones, and make bold commitments that can translate into meaningful action,” he said.

The forum is expected to attract policymakers, business executives, climate practitioners, development institutions, academics and other stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.

Among those expected are Ambassador Philbert Abaka Johnson, Director and UNIDO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS; Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olasupo Shasore; Hon. Sam Onuigbo, Governing Board Member and Chairman of the Committee on Security, Special Interventions and Climate Change at the North East Development Commission; former Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr Salisu Dahiru; and Managing Director of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Engr. Chijioke Okwuokenye.

Other speakers include Dr Forster Boateng, Managing Director of C4Impact Advisory Group; Dr Gloria Boamah Kusi, Senior Sustainability Officer at the Jospong Green Transition Office; Dr Debany Fonseca Batista, Research Associate at Dalhousie University’s CERC.OCEAN Laboratory and Executive Director of the DOTCAN Institute; and Claudette Hutchinson, Chief Executive Officer and AI Implementation Architect at Owning My.

Discussions at the forum will cover some of the critical pressure points in Africa’s climate transition, including the role of private enterprise, carbon markets, energy access and natural gas, food security, adaptation, community-led climate action, human rights and the just transition.

Participants will also examine how artificial intelligence, data and digital technologies can improve climate planning, monitoring and delivery.

A major feature of the forum will be the ACF Deal Room, designed to bring climate project developers, green businesses, investors and financial institutions together to explore partnerships and unlock capital for climate-related projects.

The organisers said the initiative would provide a practical platform for connecting climate solutions with potential investors and partners, reinforcing the forum’s emphasis on implementation rather than declarations alone.

The programme will also feature a Pulitzer Centre side event on Journalism, Climate Action and Civic Space Engagement, focusing on the role of public-interest journalism in strengthening climate accountability, improving public understanding and amplifying the experiences of communities affected by climate change.

The Abuja event follows climate conversations held in Accra earlier in the year, where stakeholders examined climate partnerships, financing, the just transition and public-private collaboration.

Since its launch in 2023, the Africa Climate Forum has brought together stakeholders from government, business, investment and development to examine Africa’s climate response.