From Muawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
Katsina State has emerged as Nigeria’s top-performing state in the 2026 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking (SCGPRR 3.0), earning national recognition for its efforts in climate policy, institutional coordination, climate financing, project implementation and transparency.
The ranking, which marks the third edition of the national assessment, was conducted by the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment. It covers all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The 2026 assessment was presented in Abuja on Thursday, October 8, and evaluated states’ climate governance structures, policy implementation, institutional arrangements, financing, project delivery, monitoring, transparency and visibility of climate action.
Katsina’s performance reflects efforts to incorporate climate action into its development plans through the Katsina Green Growth Agenda (KAGGA) and the Katsina State Climate Change Policy and Plan of Action 2025–2030.
The framework promotes climate action across agriculture, water, energy, infrastructure, environmental protection and human development, while positioning the state to attract climate finance and green investment.
Key initiatives include land restoration, afforestation, the Katsina One Tree Initiative (KT1T), climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, water resilience, urban greening, ecosystem restoration and green infrastructure.
These interventions are designed to address environmental challenges such as desertification, land degradation, drought, flooding and water scarcity.
They are also expected to create opportunities in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, employment, carbon markets and the wider green economy.
The assessment further recognised improvements in institutional coordination, technical capacity, stakeholder engagement and climate planning, which could strengthen the state’s ability to develop investment-ready projects and attract climate-related funding.
Speaking during the presentation of the award, the Acting Commissioner for Environment and Special Adviser on Climate Change, Professor Mohammed A. Al-Amin, said the achievement demonstrated that strong institutions and evidence-based policies could help states address climate vulnerability.
“Katsina’s emergence as the leading state is evidence that vulnerability to climate change does not have to define a state’s development trajectory.
“With the right vision, institutions, commitment and evidence-based implementation, environmental challenges can be transformed into opportunities for resilience, investment and sustainable development,” Al-Amin said.
He noted that the recognition came with greater responsibility to sustain the progress, particularly through improved climate data and monitoring, increased mobilisation of climate finance, stronger private-sector participation and greater transparency.
The commissioner also commended the Ministry of Environment, the Climate Change Secretariat, other ministries, departments and agencies, as well as development partners, for their contributions to climate governance and environmental sustainability in the state.
Katsina’s climate initiatives have also received recognition from organisations, including Nature Trust International and the Alliance for Renewable Energy in West Africa (AREWA).
