Katsina State has emerged as the top-performing state in Nigeria in the 2026 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking (SCGPRR 3.0), securing national recognition for its progress in climate policy, institutional coordination, climate financing, project delivery, monitoring and transparency.
The ranking, the third edition of the national benchmarking exercise, 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, presented on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in Abuja, examined states’ climate governance systems, policy implementation, institutional arrangements, financing, project delivery, monitoring, transparency and visibility of climate action.
Katsina’s performance reflects efforts to integrate climate action into development planning through the Katsina Green Growth Agenda (KAGGA) and the Katsina State Climate Change Policy and Plan of Action 2025–2030.
The framework supports climate action in agriculture, water, energy, infrastructure, environment and human development, while positioning the State to attract climate finance and green investment.
Key interventions include land restoration, afforestation, the Katsina One Tree Initiative (KT1T), climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, water resilience, urban greenery, ecosystem restoration and green infrastructure.
The interventions target major environmental challenges, including desertification, land degradation, drought, flooding and water stress, while creating opportunities in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, employment, carbon markets and the wider green economy.
The ranking also recognised improvements in institutional coordination, technical capacity, stakeholder engagement and climate planning, strengthening Katsina’s ability to develop bankable projects and mobilise climate-related investment.
In his acceptance speech, the Acting Commissioner of the Ministry of Environment and Special Adviser on Climate Change, Professor Mohammed A. Al-Amin, said Katsina’s achievement showed that climate vulnerability could be addressed through strong institutions, commitment and evidence-based implementation.
“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,” Professor Al-Amin said.
He said the recognition had created greater responsibility to sustain the momentum, particularly through stronger climate data and monitoring, increased mobilisation of climate finance, greater private-sector participation and improved transparency.
Professor Al-Amin commended the Ministry of Environment, the Climate Change Secretariat, other MDAs and development partners for their contributions to advancing climate governance and environmental sustainability in the State.
The State’s climate action has also received recognition from organisations including Nature Trust International and the Alliance for Renewable Energy in West Africa (AREWA).
The event was attended by the Minister of Environment, Mr. Balarabe Lawal; the Senior Special Assistant to the Katsina State Governor on Climate Change, Suleiman Sa’ad Ribadu; and other government officials, climate experts, development partners and stakeholders.
