Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (fourth right); Mayor of London and Co-Chair, C40 Cities, Sir Sadiq Khan (fourth left) and others during the London Climate Action Week at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, on Monday, 22 June 2026.
By Peace Udugba
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described Nigeria’s energy transition process as a critical step towards achieving energy security and addressing the country’s persistent power challenges.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Under2 States and Regions Dialogue during the London Climate Summit, the governor said recent reforms in the power sector, which allow states to participate in electricity generation and distribution, would help tackle energy shortages and improve access to power.
The summit, themed “Advancing Energy Security in a Volatile World,” was organised by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Under2 Coalition in London.
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos State was committed to investing in the energy sector and sought greater collaboration with stakeholders to boost power generation and distribution at the sub-national level.
According to him, the opening of the power sector to state governments has created opportunities for innovative solutions, including the development of mini-grids to serve underserved communities.
Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (left); CEO of Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Kate Hampton (second right) and other participants during the London Climate Action Week at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, on Monday, 22 June 2026.
He noted that some communities in Lagos that previously received less than 12 hours of electricity daily now enjoy between 20 and 21 hours of power supply due to ongoing interventions.
The governor also disclosed that the state had installed more than 45,000 solar-powered street lights across different parts of Lagos within the past year as part of efforts to promote renewable energy and improve public infrastructure.
Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of Africa in the global energy transition agenda, citing the continent’s vast solar energy potential, mineral resources and growing population.
Meanwhile, the governor announced plans by the Lagos State Government to host a Climate Action Week in Lagos in September.
He said the event would provide an opportunity for international stakeholders to see first-hand the environmental and sustainability projects being implemented in Lagos and across the sub-Saharan African region.
According to him, Lagos is ready to showcase its achievements, attract partnerships and demonstrate its capacity to drive climate action and sustainable development.
