Lagos State is moving to widen the deployment of clean energy solutions across the city, a shift the government says is critical to strengthening climate resilience while unlocking new opportunities for economic growth, particularly among small businesses and the informal sector.
The plan was unveiled at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on the Lagos Energy Climate Action Implementation, held on Wednesday in Ikeja, where government officials, development partners and energy experts reviewed pathways for scaling up renewable energy interventions under the state’s Climate Action Plan.
Speaking at the forum, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji, described climate change as “one of the most pressing challenges affecting human existence,” with consequences that cut across public health, urban sustainability and economic productivity. For Lagos, Africa’s largest city by population, he said the transition to clean energy had become an imperative rather than a choice.
“For a city as dynamic, complex and fast-growing as Lagos, unlocking clean energy potential in the informal and SME sector is not optional; it is essential,” Omobolaji said in remarks delivered by the Director of Climate Change and Environmental Planning, Micheal Bankole.
At the heart of the discussions was the scaling up of solar photovoltaic solutions for households and small and medium-sized enterprises, an approach officials say aligns with the state’s low-carbon ambitions and its push for improved air quality and climate resilience. The workshop presented outcomes from a pilot project implemented under the Lagos Climate Action Plan, designed to test what works and build confidence for broader adoption.
According to Omobolaji, the pilot initiatives underscored the limits of policy declarations without practical demonstrations. “Policy and planning support alone are not enough. There is a strong need to translate these efforts into practical, on-the-ground demonstration projects that show real impact,” he said.
The government reiterated its emissions-reduction targets—20 per cent below business-as-usual projections by 2025, 45 per cent by 2035, and net-zero emissions by 2050—placing particular responsibility on the energy sector, which remains central to Lagos’ climate pathway and Nigeria’s nationally determined contribution.
Beyond environmental considerations, Omobolaji framed renewable energy as an economic catalyst capable of stimulating enterprise, creating jobs and improving living standards for millions of residents. Inclusive participation, he added, would be key to ensuring that clean energy also addresses energy poverty and supports broad-based growth.
The state government acknowledged the support of C40 Cities and partners under the UK Government-funded Urban Climate Action Programme, as well as the involvement of multiple ministries, departments and agencies, describing their participation as evidence of a collaborative approach to climate governance.
Providing technical insight into the pilot phase, the consultant on the Lagos Energy Climate Action Implementation, Segun Adaju, said the project was rolled out across communities including Agege, Ikorodu, Yaba, Makoko, Badagry, Apapa, Isheri and Olowora. The intervention targeted small-scale enterprises to support business growth, with plans to extend the model to residential communities in the near future.
As Lagos grapples with rising energy demand and mounting climate risks, officials say the outcomes of the engagement will help shape a more sustainable, resilient and economically vibrant megacity, one increasingly powered by clean energy.
