Lagos State has emerged as the top-performing state in the 2025 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking exercise for the second consecutive year.

The report was announced on Tuesday during the public presentation of the second edition of the report.

The Subnational Climate Governance Rating and Ranking project is an initiative of the Department of Climate Change, the Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP).

The annual exercise aims to encourage state-level climate action by assessing subnational performance in five thematic areas.

The areas are climate institutional arrangements, the status of policies, action plans and legal frameworks, and budgetary allocation to climate projects.

Others are the implementation and monitoring of climate programmes and online visibility and public communication on climate issues.

Speaking at the event, the minister of environment, Balarabe Lawal, said Lagos scored 315 points to take first place, while Katsina and Kaduna states followed with 310 and 305 points, respectively.

The president of SPP, Chukwumerije Okereke, said the thematic areas represent key pillars of climate action and were selected to motivate states to strengthen their governance systems.

“The ranking provides an evidence-based reflection of each state’s commitment and offers guidance on the areas requiring greater attention,” he said.

In her remarks, the director-general of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Tenioye Majekodunmi, described the ranking as a milestone in Nigeria’s drive for grassroots-led climate action.

“This second ranking stands as a testament to the growing political will demonstrated by state governments.

“The NCCC is committed to translating national ambition into local realities,” she said.

Also speaking, Samantha Harrison, first secretary for climate diplomacy at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), said subnational actors remain central to effective climate governance.

“Without them, our policies remain spreadsheets on paper. Effective climate action at the subnational level is not just beneficial — it is essential,” Ms Harrison stated.

Dahiru Hashim, commissioner for environment and climate change, Kano State, said the ranking had fostered healthy competition and collaboration among states.

“It provides an opportunity to showcase progress, promote knowledge exchange, and reinforce the urgency of addressing climate challenges where the impacts are most immediate,” he said.

The commissioner for the environment and water resources, Lagos State, Tokunbo Wahab, said the recognition reaffirmed Lagos’s leadership in driving sustainable and inclusive climate policies.

“This ranking strengthens our resolve to build resilience, drive green growth, and embed climate action in every part of our economy,” Mr Wahab said.

From the donor community, Anthony Nyong, the director of climate change and green growth at the African Development Bank (AfDB), described the project as an innovative model for climate accountability.

“It provides a valuable tool for evidence-based policymaking and investment alignment to accelerate Africa’s just climate transition,” Mr Nyong said.

The exercise initiated in 2024 has become a key instrument for promoting accountability, knowledge sharing, and performance benchmarking among Nigeria’s 36 states.

This year’s edition saw Kano and Enugu states make significant improvements, breaking into the top five performing states. 

(NAN)