The world recently concluded COP30 in Brazil; one of the most consequential climate negotiations in recent years. The urgency was unmistakable. For cities across the Global South, climate change is not a distant threat but a lived reality. Rising sea levels, extreme heat, flooding, and pressure on urban systems are reminders that we sit at a historic crossroads, forced to make decisions that will define the trajectory of future generations.
In Lagos, under the leadership of a visionary leader, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, we have chosen not to wait for the future to arrive. We have chosen to shape it. At COP30, Lagos advanced a clear message: African cities must have fair access to climate finance. They must not remain on the margins of global negotiations that directly affect their future.
This is why Lagos used the global platform to champion State-Determined Contributions (SDCs); a bold, practical framework enabling states to articulate climate commitments aligned with national goals while defining their own investment-ready pipelines. The SDCs provided an anchor for Lagos’ engagements at COP30 and aligned directly with the “Belém Political Package,” especially the global call to triple adaptation finance by 2035 and accelerated implementation through the new Global Implementation Accelerator.
Lagos presented itself as a partner that is serious, prepared, and ready to scale climate solutions that protect lives and support economic growth. Through our SDCs, we demonstrated how cities can transition from ambition to bankability. The response from investors and multilateral institutions confirmed an increasing recognition: African cities are central to the world’s climate future.
Our participation also provided an opportunity to highlight the decisive climate actions Lagos is driving at home. The state is implementing the largest clean cooking transition in the world through the 80 million clean cookstoves programme, protecting women and children from harmful household air pollution while reducing pressure on forests. Lagos has committed to ending single-use plastic pollution, supported by expanded recycling, waste-to-resource enterprises, and incentives for sustainable alternatives.
The Lagos State Government continues to deepen investments in early warning systems that protect vulnerable communities from floods—an approach directly aligned with COP30’s newly adopted Global Goal on Adaptation indicators, including infrastructure resilience, early warning reach, and water security. Our green transport vision is advancing through the Lagos e-mobility rollout, and nature-based solutions are being scaled across coastlines and wetlands to restore biodiversity and strengthen resilience. These actions flow from our circular economy roadmap—turning waste into opportunity, expanding livelihoods, and ensuring that environmental sustainability and shared prosperity reinforce each other.
The Lagos State Government continues to deepen investments in early warning systems that protect vulnerable communities from floods—an approach directly aligned with COP30’s newly adopted Global Goal on Adaptation indicators, including infrastructure resilience, early warning reach, and water security. Our green transport vision is advancing through the Lagos e-mobility rollout, and nature-based solutions are being scaled across coastlines and wetlands to restore biodiversity and strengthen resilience. These actions flow from our circular economy roadmap—turning waste into opportunity, expanding livelihoods, and ensuring that environmental sustainability and shared prosperity reinforce each other.
Beyond COP30, Lagos took a historic step in climate-aligned financing. The State recently announced Africa’s largest subnational bond issuance, a ₦214.8 billion bond (approximately US$145–150 million), including Nigeria’s first-ever subnational green bond; ₦14.815 billion dedicated to renewable energy, climate adaptation, and sustainable water and wastewater infrastructure. This landmark financing strengthens Lagos’ credibility in global capital markets and demonstrates our commitment to embedding climate resilience within the State’s long-term financial planning.
This momentum builds on outcomes from the Lagos International Climate Change Summit (LICCS), where Lagos launched the Climate Investment Opportunities Diagnostic (CIOD);a strategic framework identifying bankable climate projects and strengthening public–private partnerships. Lagos also unveiled Lagos Carbon, Nigeria’s first domestic environmental market using blockchain technology to channel investment into decarbonization projects. Together, these initiatives create the financial and institutional architecture needed to accelerate our climate ambitions.
These state-level efforts complement national progress. Nigeria recently adopted the National Carbon Market Framework, designed to unlock US$2.5–3 billion annually in carbon finance over the next decade. This positions Lagos and Nigeria as a whole,as a major player in the emerging global carbon economy.
A major outcome from our COP30 engagements was the strengthening of global partnerships aligned with Lagos’ ambitions. Discussions with international finance institutions, climate-focused investors, and private-sector partners signalled a strong appetite for green investments in Lagos—from renewable energy to climate-smart infrastructure, from coastal protection to community-led adaptation projects. The SDC framework gave investors the predictability and clarity they need, echoing COP30’s emphasis on bridging the ambition gap through cooperative investment models under the Belém Mission to 1.5.
Lagos also stood at the centre of a rising Global South coalition. Shared lessons with cities across Latin America, Asia, and Africa reaffirmed the urgency of climate justice. COP30 made history with the creation of the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM); the first UNFCCC-backed platform dedicated to ensuring a just and inclusive global transition. Lagos lent its voice in advocating for equitable access to capital, technology, and knowledge, reinforcing our commitment to BAM’s vision. This leadership posture earned Lagos recognition as a megacity ready to shape the future of climate governance.
Our experience at COP30 reaffirmed one truth: the task ahead requires collaboration on a scale never witnessed before. Governments must work hand-in-hand with private-sector innovators, civil society, youth, and community leaders. The partnerships we advanced in Brazil; many anchored around the priorities outlined in our SDCs, are essential building blocks for this shared future. And while COP30 did not reach agreement on fossil fuel phase-out language, the COP Presidency’s new initiative to sustain momentum gives cities like Lagos an opportunity to shape the conversation.
Lagos is prepared to lead. We are transforming ambition into action and turning our challenges into opportunities. We are proving that a climate-resilient pathway is possible for African cities, and that the Global South can define models of development that are inclusive, nature-positive, and people-centred.
The future will favour those who act with courage today. Lagos has already begun that journey. The world is taking notice. I invite partners, investors, innovators, and global allies to experience the Lagos story for themselves, and to place their resources where their values truly lie. The work has begun, and Lagos is ready.
*Titi Oshodi is the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy.
