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Nigeria is set to strengthen efforts towards improving climate governance at the subnational level with the launch of the third edition of the Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking (SCGPR 3.0), scheduled to hold in Abuja on Thursday October 8, 2026.
The SCGPR is an initiative of the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), implemented in close collaboration with the Department of Climate Change (DCC), Federal Ministry of Environment, to assess, promote and strengthen climate governance performance across Nigeria’s 36 states.
The launch of the 3rd edition has come at a critical moment as climate change impacts intensify across the country, affecting livelihoods, infrastructure, agriculture and ecosystems.
From increasing flooding in coastal states to drought, desertification and changing rainfall patterns in northern Nigeria, climate risks are becoming more immediate and localised.
The ranking recognises that while national climate commitments provide direction, the success of Nigeria’s climate agenda depends significantly on the capacity of states to translate ambition into policies, actions and massive projects implementation.
The SCGPR was established to provide a transparent, evidence-based framework through five thematic focus: Climate Governance and Institutional Arrangements, Policies and Action Plans, Climate Project Implementation, Climate Finance, and Digital Transparency and Online Visibility while encouraging peer learning and healthy competition among states.
The first edition of the ranking, launched in 2024, provided Nigeria’s first comprehensive assessment of subnational climate governance performance. It evaluated states across these five key areas.
The assessment helped establish a baseline of climate governance readiness across the 36 states while identifying critical gaps and opportunities for improvement.
The second edition, released in 2025, expanded the assessment framework and captured significant progress among several states and inaugurated Quality Assurance Expert team.
It showed increased attention to climate institutions, policy development, climate budgeting and financing mechanisms. In the second edition, several states strengthened their climate governance structures, while more states began developing frameworks to support climate investment and implementation.
Building on lessons from previous editions, SCGPR 3.0 introduces a strengthened assessment framework with increased emphasis on climate project implementation, evidence verification and measurable outcomes.
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The latest edition moves beyond assessing whether states have climate policies and institutions in place to examining how effectively these structures and strategies are delivering climate action.
As part of preparations for the 2026 ranking, SPP and DCC engaged state Climate Change Directors and Desk Officers, Permanent Secretaries, Focal persons from across the country on the updated methodology in May 2026.
Similar to the 2nd edition, an expert review and quality assurance process was also established to enhance credibility, transparency and consistency in the assessment.
The third edition is expected to provide deeper insights into how states are progressing in building climate-ready governance systems, exploring platform for climate investment, enhancing project bankability and where additional support is required.
Beyond recognising leading states, the ranking aims to support evidence-based decision-making by policymakers, development partners, investors and climate finance institutions, international coalitions seeking to understand state-level climate finance readiness for climate action.
The emergence and launch of the SCGPR 3.0 for the third time represent another milestone and reinforces a central message: climate action must be delivered where impacts are felt most – within states and vulnerable communities.
The ranking has continuously revealed the growing importance of subnational governments in driving global climate action, as recognised in the Paris Agreement, the African Union Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Agenda 2030’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The high-level launch event in Abuja is set to be attended by distinguished leaders, including the honourable Minister for Environment, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), state governors, state commissioners, NGOs, and international development partners, private sector leaders.
The event will be streamed live, kindly register to join us: https://bit.ly/3U7jLL4
Society for Planet and Prosperity and Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment
