By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
The Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), has officially launched the second edition of the Subnational Climate Governance Performance Ranking.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Ugochukwu Uzuegbu, Communications Officer, SPP, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.
According to statement, the unveiling marks a renewed push to strengthen climate governance across Nigeria’s 36 states.
It said the launch began with a virtual workshop attended by over 40 state-level climate officials, including desk officers, directors, permanent secretaries, and climate focal persons.
In her opening remarks, Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, Director, DCC, emphasised that the ranking is a critical instrument for promoting best practices and tracking climate policy implementation at the subnational level.
Abiola-Awe affirmed the support of the Minister of Environment, who considered the inaugural ranking a flagship achievement of the Ministry.
“The journey toward climate resilience demands collective resolve, innovation, and strong partnerships,”
“This ranking is a tool not only for evaluation but for transformation — helping us identify gaps, scale solutions, and deepen inclusive governance,” Abiola-Awe said.
Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, President, SPP, lauded the contributions of the state climate desk officers, describing them as the real heroes of the first ranking process.
He noted that the initiative — possibly the first of its kind in Africa — is now attracting international attention.
“The subnational climate governance ranking is a highly innovative project.
“To preserve its credibility, we are enhancing our methodology, including establishing a high-level review and quality assurance panel of national and international experts,” Okereke said.
He also revealed that new features of the 2025 ranking include:
“Greater weight on project implementation.
“Mandatory state endorsement by commissioners or permanent secretaries.
“New rewards and incentives for top-performing states, in discussions with international development partners.
“Capacity-building workshops for desk officers and commissioners.”
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources of Ekiti State and Chairperson of the Committee of Commissioners for Environment, Mrs Tosin Aluko, pledged full support for the project and committed to providing timely, accurate data from Ekiti State.
Desk officers from various states expressed their enthusiasm for the initiative, promising to work closely with their principals and participate actively in upcoming training sessions.
The subnational climate performance ranking, which was first launched in July 2024, saw Lagos, Gombe, Ebonyi, Borno, and Ekiti emerge as top performers.
The project aims to catalyze climate action at the subnational level through a transparent and rigorous assessment process, ultimately empowering states to improve their climate governance systems.
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