… to showcase innovative climate finance solutions

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will lead the State’s delegation to a series of high-level engagements at London Climate Action Week (LCAW) 2026, underscoring Lagos’ growing influence in global climate leadership and reinforcing its position as Africa’s leading platform for subnational climate action and sustainable finance.

A major highlight of the Governor’s participation will be the Local Climate Action Summit, the centrepiece event for subnational governments during London Climate Action Week, hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies at Guildhall, London. The summit will bring together governors, premiers, presidents, ministers and senior regional leaders from around the world to advance multilevel collaboration and accelerate climate implementation ahead of COP31.

Further underscoring Lagos State’s growing global climate leadership, Governor Sanwo-Olu is expected to formalise the State’s intention to join the Under2 Coalition, the world’s largest network of states and regions committed to achieving net-zero emissions and climate resilience. The proposed signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Climate Group, which serves as the Secretariat to the Under2 Coalition, represents a non-binding commitment that aligns with Lagos State’s existing climate ambitions and priorities.

The milestone would position Lagos alongside more than 180 states and regions worldwide and provide an important platform for showcasing the State’s climate leadership and strengthening collaboration with subnational governments driving climate action globally.

Also as part of the State’s engagements at London Climate Action Week, the Office of the Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy (OCCE) will host an invitation-only executive roundtable titled, “Financing State-Determined Contributions: Connecting Climate Capital to Africa’s Most Investment-Ready Cities,” on 22 June from 14:00 to 15:00.

The high-level session will bring together investors, development finance institutions, climate funds, corporates, policymakers and technical partners to explore practical pathways for mobilising capital and accelerating the implementation of Lagos State’s climate priorities through its pioneering State-Determined Contributions (SDCs) framework.

Joining the discussions will be Mr. Ope George, Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Lagos State, and Mrs. Olayinka Ojo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, reflecting the State’s whole-of-government approach to climate action and its commitment to integrating climate priorities into broader fiscal and economic planning frameworks.

The roundtable will showcase investment opportunities across clean energy, low-carbon mobility, circular economy, carbon markets, climate resilience and nature-based solutions, while facilitating direct engagement between project owners, investors and strategic partners capable of supporting implementation. The session further reinforces Lagos State’s ambition to position itself as one of Africa’s leading platforms for subnational climate investment and sustainable growth.

Further reinforcing Lagos State’s leadership in climate finance, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy and Head of OCCE, Mrs. Titilayo Oshodi, will participate in the high-level session, “Unlocking Sustainable Finance Opportunities in Emerging Markets,” at the Sustainable Finance Stage programme hosted in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).

Mrs. Oshodi will join an esteemed panel comprising Trevor Manuel, Chairperson of the Africa Expert Panel; Sean Kidney, Chief Executive Officer of the Climate Bonds Initiative; and Jamie Fergusson, Global Director for Climate at the World Bank Group, to discuss strategies for mobilising private capital, strengthening project bankability and enhancing local financial ecosystems across emerging markets.

During the session, Mrs. Oshodi will present Lagos State’s State-Determined Contributions framework as a practical model for translating climate ambition into investment-ready opportunities capable of delivering measurable development outcomes while attracting private capital at scale.

Speaking ahead of the engagements, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said: “Cities and regions are increasingly at the forefront of climate action. As the world moves from ambition to implementation, Lagos is demonstrating that subnational governments can build bankable pipelines, attract strategic partnerships and deliver tangible outcomes that improve livelihoods and drive sustainable economic growth. Our participation at London Climate Action Week reflects our commitment to positioning Lagos as a global model for climate innovation and investment.”

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Mrs. Titilayo Oshodi, said: “Climate leadership is no longer measured by commitments alone. Through our State-Determined Contributions framework, Lagos is building a scalable model for climate implementation that can unlock capital, strengthen partnerships and accelerate sustainable development across Africa and the Global South.”

With global attention increasingly shifting from ambition to implementation in the lead-up to COP31, Lagos State’s participation at London Climate Action Week highlights its commitment to pioneering innovative governance and financing mechanisms capable of accelerating climate delivery and improving climate finance performance across Africa.