Governor Ademola Adeleke has announced a new breakthrough as Osun State has been ranked 6th out of 36 states in Nigeria in the 2nd Edition of the Sub-national Climate Governance Performance Ranking Report, an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria with support from the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP).
The report provides a comprehensive assessment of how Nigerian states are implementing climate policies, strengthening institutional frameworks, and driving local climate action. It serves as a key tool for accountability, innovation, and collaboration toward achieving a sustainable and resilient future for all Nigerians.
In the 2025 edition, Osun State achieved a total score of 265, marking what looks like an exceptional leap from 30th position in 2024 to 6th position, and emerging as the second-best performing state in the South-West region after Lagos State.
This remarkable improvement, according to state officials, underscores the vision and strategic investments of Gov. Adeleke, whose administration has made climate change, circular economy, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability a core pillar of governance and development.
Under the Governor’s leadership, the state has implemented several transformative initiatives, including:
- Increased budgetary allocation to climate change projects and programmes;
- Establishment of a Department of Climate Change and Renewable Energy within the Ministry of Environment and Sanitation;
- Implementation and monitoring of climate-related projects across local governments;
- Integration of climate education and environmental awareness into schools;
- Regular capacity building for state and local climate officers; and
- Enhanced coordination and dialogue with the Federal Ministry of Environment and other national/international agencies.
Osun State also ranked high nationwide in online visibility for climate change governance, reflecting growing transparency and public engagement in the state’s environmental programmes.
Speaking at the unveiling event held at Bon Hotel Octagon, Abuja, which had in attendance the Minister of Environment, the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), and other distinguished stakeholders, the Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, accompanied by the Director of Climate Change and Renewable Energy, received the award on behalf of the State Government.
They dedicated the achievement to the good people of Osun State and to the Governor, in recognition of his commitment to environmental sustainability and climate action.
Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Spokesperson to the Governor, said in a statement: “Special commendation also goes to the Director-General and Special Envoy of the Governor on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Professor Chinwe Obuaku-Igwe, whose leadership, resilience, and strategic coordination have been instrumental in positioning Osun State on the national map as a forward-looking and ambitious sub-national actor in climate governance.
“The Osun State reaffirms its commitment to advancing climate action, renewable energy transition, circular economy initiatives, and sustainable development programs that will ensure a greener, cleaner, and more resilient Osun for present and future generations.”
Meanwhile, Kano State appears to have recorded one of the most dramatic improvements in Nigeria’s climate governance history, moving from 35th to 4th position in the 2025 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Ranking.
The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dahir Hashim, announced the development in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 15, in Kano, describing it as a product of “deliberate reforms, strengthened institutions, and community-driven programmes.”
According to Mr. Hashim, the achievement reflects the state government’s commitment to building a responsive governance system that addresses both “the global urgency of climate change and the local realities of our people.”
He said that, over the past year, the government had expanded climate-smart infrastructure and deepened environmental governance through the implementation of the Kano State Climate Change Policy.
The commissioner highlighted several key initiatives that contributed to the ranking boost – including renewable energy deployment across public institutions, urban greening projects under the state’s Urban Renewal Programme, and large-scale afforestation and erosion control efforts across local communities.
“These initiatives have laid the foundation for resilience, cleaner energy transition, and inclusive growth,” Mr. Hashim stated.
He emphasised that the recognition was a testament to the collective efforts of the ministry’s teams, local governments, community leaders, civil society groups, and development partners who have worked together to advance climate action in the state.
“I am deeply proud to share that Kano State has recorded one of the most remarkable transformations in Nigeria’s climate governance history – moving from 35th position in the previous year’s ranking to 4th in the 2025 edition,” he said.
Mr. Hashim commended the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas-Lawal, and the Federal Ministry of Environment for their leadership in advancing subnational climate governance. He also lauded the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), and the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, for spearheading the ranking initiative that promotes “healthy competition, collaboration, and accountability” among states.
He attributed the milestone to the visionary leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, whose commitment to sustainability, he said, had placed climate action at the heart of Kano’s development agenda.
“Our gratitude equally goes to the UK-FCDO Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) Project and other development partners for their continued technical and institutional support to Kano’s environmental transformation journey,” he added.