— Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State took center stage at the United Nations Headquarters yesterday, joining California Governor Gavin Newsom at the High-Level Meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition, convened by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed.
The appearance came just days after Lagos and California formalized a Sister State partnership, underscoring the potential of collaboration between Africa’s largest urban economy and America’s largest state economy.
Addressing the global audience, Sanwo-Olu highlighted Lagos’ dual commitment to climate resilience and economic growth. “For us in Lagos, climate action and economic development go hand in hand,” he declared, noting that states and regions can deliver up to 80% of global climate action.
He outlined Lagos’ ongoing initiatives: transitioning its 5.2 million vehicles towards cleaner transport, processing over 5,000 tonnes of daily waste into recycling industries, clean energy, and jobs. These efforts, he stressed, demonstrate how climate responsibility can be transformed into opportunity.
However, the Governor emphasized that governments cannot achieve these goals alone. He called for affordable, long-term financing from the global financial community to scale climate projects that directly improve lives.
“Lagos is ready to deliver. We are ready to do our part. Now, we need the global financial community to meet us with the investment needed to match our scale,” Sanwo-Olu urged.
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