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By Lukman Olabiyi
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will lead Lagos State delegation to a series of high-level engagements at the 2026 London Climate Action Week (LCAW), as the state seeks to strengthen its position as a leading hub for climate action and sustainable finance in Africa.
A key highlight of the governor’s participation will be the Local Climate Action Summit, the flagship gathering for subnational governments during the week-long event.
Hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies at Guildhall, London, the summit will bring together governors, premiers, presidents, ministers and regional leaders from across the world to deepen collaboration and accelerate climate action ahead of COP31.
As part of its growing global climate engagement, Lagos State is also expected to formalise its 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 move, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Climate Group, the coalition’s secretariat, will align Lagos with more than 180 states and regions worldwide. Officials said the non-binding agreement is consistent with the state’s existing climate goals and will strengthen collaboration with other subnational governments advancing climate initiatives globally.
In furtherance of its climate finance agenda, the Office of the Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy (OCCE) will host an executive roundtable on June 22 titled, “Financing State-Determined Contributions: Connecting Climate Capital to Africa’s Most Investment-Ready Cities.”
The invitation-only session will convene investors, development finance institutions, climate funds, policymakers, corporate leaders and technical partners to explore strategies for mobilising capital and accelerating the implementation of Lagos State’s climate priorities through its State-Determined Contributions (SDCs) framework.
Participants will include the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Ope George, and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Olayinka Ojo, reflecting the state’s efforts to integrate climate action into broader economic and fiscal planning.
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The roundtable will spotlight investment opportunities in clean energy, low-carbon transportation, circular economy initiatives, carbon markets, climate resilience projects and nature-based solutions, while facilitating engagement between project developers, investors and strategic partners.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, will also feature at a high-level session titled “Unlocking Sustainable Finance Opportunities in Emerging Markets,” organised under the Sustainable Finance Stage programme in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).
She will join a panel of global experts, including former South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, Climate Bonds Initiative Chief Executive Sean Kidney and the World Bank Group’s Global Director for Climate, Jamie Fergusson, to discuss strategies for attracting private-sector investment and strengthening climate finance ecosystems in emerging economies.
Oshodi is expected to present Lagos State’s State-Determined Contributions framework as a model for translating climate ambitions into investment-ready projects capable of delivering development outcomes while attracting private capital.
Speaking ahead of the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu said cities and regions are increasingly taking centre stage in the global response to climate change.
“As the world moves from ambition to implementation, Lagos is demonstrating that subnational governments can build bankable project pipelines, attract strategic partnerships and deliver tangible outcomes that improve livelihoods and drive sustainable economic growth,” he said.
“Our participation at London Climate Action Week reflects our commitment to positioning Lagos as a global model for climate innovation and investment.”
Oshodi noted that climate leadership is now measured by implementation rather than 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,” he said.
With global attention increasingly focused on delivering practical climate solutions ahead of COP31, Lagos State said its participation at London Climate Action Week underscores its commitment to innovative governance, climate finance and sustainable development.
