Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state Governor has affirmed that the state is working across borders to address global challenges such as pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss.

He made this known on Thursday while speaking at the maiden Lagos Sustainability Summit organized by the office of Sustainability Development Goals with the theme; ‘Building a Resilient and Sustainable Lagos’, held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island.

Sanwo-Olu who was represented by Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat , his Deputy said that Lagos stands as a global leader in sustainability, joining the ranks of C40 cities that are committed to science-based, collaborative climate action.

“Our city’s sustainability efforts are not just local; they are part of a broader global mission to protect people and the planet.”

He said the state cannot do it alone, that the partnerships and collaborations forged at the summit are essential, stressing that the private sector, civil society, and government must come together to build the systems and infrastructure that will enable Lagos to evolve as a truly sustainable city.

“Now is the time for bold, visionary thinking. We must seize the chance to build a Lagos that is resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive. We must embrace solutions that not only grow our economy but also protect our environment and uplift our people,” he added.

Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Environment in his address said that the summit is a pivotal moment in Lagos State’s journey towards a sustainable and resilient future.

He said that Lagos State remains a leading light in the country in applying innovative solutions to address societal problems, including the environment sector.

 He said Lagos; the most densely populated city in Nigeria and Africa and the eighth in the world, is therefore faced with a higher level of environmental sustainability challenges requiring innovative and frontal attention from all stakeholders, including Nigeria’s federal government.

“The Federal Ministry of Environment strongly believes that our climate and environmental agendas are not likely to succeed if we fail in Lagos.  The challenges of coastal erosion, solid waste management, air pollution, flooding, over-exploitation, industrial emission, noise pollution, and so on, which are generally more in Lagos than the national average, must therefore be tackled head-on for us to build a sustainable and resilient Lagos,” he said.

Earlier in her welcome address, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs said that building a sustainable Lagos has never been more important than now because of the surmounting pressures ahead.

She said going by the United Nations 2030 sustainability agenda; the nation is left with just six years to attain the sustainable development goals.

“Although Lagos remains ahead in the sustainability journey, we still face unique challenges that range from rapid urbanisation to a growing population, and increased vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.” 

Dr. Rabiu Olowo, Executive Secretary/CEO, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria in his keynote address said that Lagos State is always known for her pacesetting status in governance in Nigeria and beyond and that there is a need for improvements.

He said that data shows that the journey to actualizing the 17 SDGs is still very far.

“Research has shown that most jurisdictions are far behind and are likely to miss the targets, as happened with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Indices in each of the SDGs point to that.

“It is also true that Lagos State has made more progress than any other sub-national in Nigeria as it has created structures such as the Lagos State office of the SDGs, The Lagos State Safety Commission, The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), The Lagos Resilience Office (LASRO), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and has embedded Sustainability in its everyday activities and way of work.”

He thereby urged the state to redouble its efforts towards delivering the global goals for sustainable development.

“On our part, the FRC is not relenting on its efforts to promote and enforce sustainability practices, support innovation, and collaborate with various stakeholders,” he said.