By Olasunkanmi Akoni and Kingsley Adeboye
The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its readiness to turn its coastal vulnerabilities into economic and ecological opportunities as it prepares to host over 1,200 delegates from 30 countries for the 2025 International Climate Change Summit.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this during a world press conference at the Eko Atlantic Corporate Office, Victoria Island, on preparations for the 11th Lagos International Climate Change Summit.
He was accompanied by the Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu.
Wahab said the summit, themed “Blue Economy, Green Money: Financing Africa’s Coastal Resilience and Ocean Innovation,” will attract global CEOs, investors, and climate innovators.
He added that Lagos aims to position itself as Africa’s climate capital by investing heavily in coastal defenses, flood mitigation, renewable energy, and circular economy initiatives.
“Through this summit, we are sending a clear message to the world — Africa is not waiting to be rescued; we are ready to lead,” Wahab stated.
He emphasized that the summit would serve as a strategic platform where governments, investors, scientists, and development partners design practical, bankable climate solutions.
International collaborators include the International Finance Corporation (IFC), African Development Bank (AfDB), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Meanwhile, Wahab, alongside other state executives and chairmen of the 57 Local Governments (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), held a strategic session in Ikeja to strengthen efforts toward achieving a cleaner and flood-free Lagos.
He urged residents to adopt proper waste management habits, noting that the state is transitioning from a linear waste system to one where waste is treated as a resource.
Wahab also announced plans to decommission the Olusosun and Solous III landfills, which have outlived their usefulness, while expanding functional facilities such as the Epe landfill.
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, represented by Deputy Director Tuti Hebron, said the agency has developed a National Policy on the Blue Economy to strengthen regulatory and operational frameworks in the sector.
Also speaking, Pierre Edde, Development Director of Eko Atlantic City, represented by Joanna Fabikun, highlighted the Great Wall of Lagos project as a major coastal defense infrastructure protecting Victoria Island and Lekki from ocean surges.
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