Climate Governance Ranking: Osun Leaps to 6th Position, Kano Climbs to 4th in 2025
By: Abudu Olalekan
Osun State. Sixth place. Sixth. Out of 36. In climate governance. Let that sink in. Just a year ago, they were at 30—now? Now they’re breathing down Lagos’ neck in the Southwest. And Kano? Kano jumped from 35th to fourth. Fourth! That’s not progress. That’s a full-on sprint.
This isn’t some random blog post or fluff piece from Reportersroom. This is real. The 2nd Edition of the Sub-national Climate Governance Performance Ranking Report dropped, and it’s shaking things up. Federal Government backed, yes—but driven by the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), with academic muscle from the University of Bristol. So it’s not just talk. It’s measured. Scored. Ranked.
Osun scored 265. Doesn’t sound like much until you remember they were barely visible last year. Now? Spotlight’s on. Governor Ademola Adeleke’s team didn’t just show up—they restructured. Created a full Department of Climate Change and Renewable Energy under the Ministry of Environment. Not a committee. Not a task force. A department. With staff. With budget.
And speaking of budget—more cash flowing into climate projects. Training for local officers. Climate education slipping into school curricula. Kids in Osogbo learning about carbon footprints? That’s new. That’s different. That’s long-term.
The award was handed over in Abuja. Bon Hotel Octagon. Fancy. Minister of Environment there. DG of NCCC. Big names. But the Osun delegation—Commissioner for Environment and the Director of Climate Change—kept it simple. “We dedicate this to the people,” they said. And to the Governor. No flashy speeches. Just quiet pride.
Shoutout, though, to Prof. Chinwe Obuaku-Igwe. DG and Special Envoy on Climate Change. The spokesperson—Mallam Olawale Rasheed—called her leadership “instrumental.” Resilient. Strategic. She’s been pushing the needle, behind the scenes. Now the whole country sees it.
Osun’s online presence for climate action? Strong. Not just press releases. Actual engagement. Town halls. Social media updates. Transparency. You can see what they’re doing. That counts. A lot.
Then there’s Kano. From 35th to 4th. Let that sink in too. Commissioner Dahir Hashim broke the news Tuesday. October 15. In Kano. No fanfare at first. Just a statement. Calm. Measured. But the message? Loud.
“We did this,” it said between the lines.
How? Policy. The Kano State Climate Change Policy got legs. Renewable energy in schools, hospitals. Solar panels where there used to be generators. Trees planted—thousands. Urban greening. Erosion control. Real dirt-under-the-nails work.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf gets credit. Visionary, Hashim called him. And why not? He put climate at the center. Not an afterthought. Not a side project. Core to development.
Also—partnerships. UK-FCDO’s PACE Project. Federal Ministry. SPP. University of Bristol again. They didn’t do it alone. But Kano led. That matters.
Hashim thanked everyone. Even the Minister. Even the researchers. Because accountability? It works both ways. This ranking isn’t just about winning. It’s about showing up. Proving you’re trying. That you care.
And now? Now both Osun and Kano are proof. That change is possible. That states can rise fast. That leadership—real leadership—makes a difference.
Reportersroom isn’t here to cheerlead. But we’re here to report. And this? This is news.
It’s not perfect. No system is. But it’s a start. And maybe—just maybe—we’re seeing the beginning of a real shift. One state at a time.
