Sanwo-Olu seeks global investment to tackle Lagos flooding, waste management

Politics, Weather

NEW YORK, United States (NPA) — Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for substantial investment to help the state address flooding, waste management and other climate change challenges.

Sanwo-Olu made the call on Wednesday at a High-Level Meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition held at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York.

The meeting was convened by the Office of the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed.

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Speaking alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos was ready to partner with the global financial community to secure the long-term financing required to match the scale of the state’s climate challenges.

He said the meeting came days after Lagos State formalised a partnership with California, describing their joint appearance at the UN as an indication of what could be achieved through collaboration between major regional economies.

“Standing together at the UN showed what is possible when Africa’s largest urban economy and America’s largest state economy work together for real progress,” he said.

Responding to a question on measures to protect more than 22 million Lagos residents from flooding, rising sea levels and extreme heat, Sanwo-Olu said climate action and economic development must be pursued together.

“For us in Lagos, climate action and economic development go hand in hand,” he said.

The governor said states and regions had the capacity to deliver up to 80 per cent of global climate action, adding that Lagos was seeking to turn that responsibility into opportunities for sustainable development.

“With more than 5.2 million vehicles on our roads, we are moving towards cleaner transport. We also process more than 5,000 tonnes of waste every day and we are turning that waste into recycling industries, clean energy and jobs,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu, however, said governments could not address the challenges alone and called for greater access to affordable, long-term financing for states and regions.

“But governments cannot do this alone. States and regions need access to affordable, long-term financing to turn climate plans into real projects that improve people’s lives,” he said.

The governor said Lagos was prepared to contribute to the effort but needed international financial support commensurate with the scale of its population and climate-related challenges.

“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,” he said.