Lagos State Commissioner Calls for Increased Climate Finance for At-Risk Cities

The Lagos State Government has appealed for enhanced collaboration between cities highly susceptible to climate change impacts and global organizations. This appeal aims to tackle the escalating challenges posed by global warming and climate change. Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, articulated this position during his participation as a panelist at the second Berlin Climate Mobility Forum 2026, held in Berlin, Germany.

While addressing the forum on the topic, “Protecting Rights in the Face of Sea Level Rise,” Wahab emphasized that cities vulnerable to climate shifts require more than mere assurances from developed nations. He highlighted the critical need for a surge in climate financing and tangible assistance. He stated, “The West must show more than rhetoric but a strong commitment to climate funding, not just for coastal cities but the Global South, to address real-life issues around climate change and global warming. Financing and the flow of financing matter.”

The Commissioner advocated for the formation of broader alliances, the decentralization of climate financing, the transfer of essential technology, and direct partnerships between susceptible urban centers and international bodies. He further stressed the importance of the global community supporting the transfer of technology for flood prediction modeling and advanced coastal engineering, alongside fostering knowledge exchange among cities confronting similar climatic threats.

Wahab joined other prominent figures on the panel, including Dr. Terrance Drew, the Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis; Uz Hussain Mohammed Lateef, the Vice President of the Republic of Maldives; Seidu Issifu, Ghana’s Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability; Tania Serafim Romualdo, Permanent Representative of Cabo Verde to the United Nations Declaration on Sea Level Rise; and Luca Salvetti, the Mayor of Livorno. He underscored that climate change remains a shared global predicament.

He pointed out that coastal cities worldwide face a common existential menace from rising sea levels and other climate-related repercussions. Wahab reiterated, “Climate crisis does not respect borders, and all coastal cities across the globe share a common and existential threat.”

He implored the international community to invest in robust infrastructure capable of safeguarding lives and livelihoods, adding that while Lagos is prepared to spearhead climate action, it cannot do so without global collaboration. Wahab concluded by saying, “Lagos is ready to lead, but we cannot do it alone.”