Kano State has jumped to fourth place in Nigeria’s 2025 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Ranking, up from 35th position last year — one of the sharpest improvements ever recorded in the country’s climate governance index.
The rise was announced in a statement on Tuesday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin, who credited the achievement to the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
According to the statement, Yusuf has made environmental sustainability and climate resilience central to his administration’s development agenda. His government has introduced reforms and initiatives promoting renewable energy, urban greening, afforestation, and erosion control, including the implementation of the Kano State Climate Change Policy and the Urban Renewal Programme.
Speaking at the unveiling of the 2025 ranking in Abuja, Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change Dahiru Hashim, who represented the governor, said the recognition reflected Kano’s commitment to sustainable development and responsible environmental management.
At the ceremony, Samantha Harrison, First Secretary for Climate Diplomacy at the British High Commission in Abuja, presented Kano State with a certificate of recognition for its progress.
Governor Yusuf, in his remarks, thanked Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, and the Federal Ministry of Environment for supporting state-level climate action.
He also acknowledged the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), the University of Bristol, and the UK-FCDO Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) for their roles in advancing climate governance.
“This milestone belongs to the government and people of Kano State,” Yusuf said, pledging to continue efforts toward a “cleaner, greener, and more climate-resilient future.”