The City of Lagos, Nigeria, is set to host the third C40 Cities Regional Climate Finance & Leadership Masterclass on Climate Change Governance from 10 to 11 February 2026. This high-level convening marks a significant milestone as it also serves as the official handover of the Urban Climate Action Programme – Climate Action Implementation (UCAP CAI) in the city, highlighted by the landmark launch of the Ikosi Market Anaerobic Digester held on 9 February.
The events, are organised by C40 Cities’ Urban Climate Action Programme – Climate Action Implementation (UCAP CAI), financed by the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and supported by the British High Commission in Nigeria, will bring together political leaders, senior decision-makers, and technical experts from across Lagos State to strengthen climate governance and unlock the finance necessary to scale urban climate solutions.
Lagos’s Dual Focus on Waste and Energy: The Ikosi Market Success As Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos faces mounting pressure to expand clean energy access and manage a growing waste crisis. The city’s major emission sectors are Energy & Buildings (49%), Waste (31%), and Transport (20%). With organic waste comprising over 56% of daily landfill disposal, driving scalable waste-to-wealth solutions is a critical priority.
A Milestone for Waste-to-Wealth is the Ikosi Market Anaerobic Digester which converts organic waste into biogas and digestate as a by-product. The gas is used to provide clean energy to the market traders and converted to electricity to provide lighting and charging for electronics such as point-of-sale machines and cellular phones. The digestate provides income-generating opportunities for Lagos state while providing farming inputs to schools and farmers at a citywide scale.
On 9 February 2026, as a cornerstone of the UCAP CAI programme handover, the city unveiled the Ikosi-Ketu Market Anaerobic Digester. Key impacts of the Ikosi project include environmental impact, community benefits and scale-up potential:
- Methane Reduction: By diverting 0.5 tonnes of organic waste to biogas and 20.5 tonnes to compost daily, the project is validated to avoid 9,000 CO2eq emissions per year.
- Clean Energy & Water: The system produces 30 kWh of electricity per day, providing lighting for trader safety and powering a borehole for essential water access.
- Economic Opportunity: The pilot supports 24 jobs, provides clean gas for cooking and cellphone charging stations improving the livelihoods of market traders.
- Scalability: Lagos State intends to roll out similar interventions across its 35 markets, and ultimately include household waste as separation at source is rolled out across the city, similar interventions could reduce 130,648 CO2eq tonnes per year, equivalent to 3% of total waste emissions in Lagos.
Lagos’s Leadership in Climate Action and Finance
Beyond waste management, the UCAP CAI programme has strengthened Lagos’s climate governance in its highest-emitting sectors: Energy & Buildings (49%) and Waste (31%).
Recent achievements include:
- Climate Finance Readiness: The city co-developed the Lagos Climate Finance Plan with KPMG, aligning priority actions with city budgets and external funding opportunities.
- Solar Energy Access: Stakeholders have validated a rent-to-own solar model, designed to increase clean energy access for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
- Inclusive Agriculture: The Lagos Farmers Forum trained over 80 farmers in the use of organic compost as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers, securing local buy-in for circular economy practices.
Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, said: “Effective climate governance demands alignment across government, from physical planning to transport, energy, waste, public health and finance. Lagos has focused on translating policy into real, tangible projects such as the Ikosi Biogas Plant that stands as a strong example, reducing methane emissions, improving waste management, and generating clean energy at the same time. The decisions made in Lagos State will influence the city’s resilience, economy, and future. If we can get climate governance right in Lagos, a city of over 27 million people, we will have shown what is possible for African cities. What matters now is clear, consistent leadership and real action. It is time to move from plans on paper to action on the ground”.
Grace Bell, First Secretary British Deputy High Commission in Lagos, said: “The United Kingdom is proud to stand with Nigeria as a long‑term partner in advancing climate resilience, inclusive development, economic growth, and environmental stewardship. It is a pleasure to join Lagos State representatives and participants of the C40 Cities Regional Masterclass following the successful launch of the Biogas Plant. Today’s gathering marks another important step in closing implementation gaps and unlocking opportunities to strengthen both national and local climate commitments.”
Anthony Okoth, C40’s Regional Director for Africa, said: “Our entry point is reducing methane emissions but an important co-benefit of the project is that it improves the lives of market traders, as we are also aiming to reduce food loss and food waste, and overall reduce organic waste in the market that would end up in landfills. What we would like to see is that due to this project, the city is able to build a case for leveraging its own finances as well as external investments for scale-up and greater city-wide impacts”.
Masterclass Focus
The Regional Climate Finance & Leadership Masterclasses focuses on four core themes essential for accelerating climate action:
- Policy Integration: Mainstreaming climate considerations into city governance and decision-making.
- Public Engagement: Building political and public support for transformative climate solutions.
- Climate Finance: Strengthening municipal systems to attract investment and scale climate action.
- Coalition Building: Fostering collaboration across sectors, levels of government, external stakeholders and financiers.
By hosting the Regional Masterclass, Lagos reinforces its commitment to resilient, sustainable, and inclusive urban development, helping to build a sustained network of African political leaders driving climate action across the continent.