By Mercy Peter
Stakeholders in the climate and development sectors have called for stronger public-private partnerships, increased investment and effective policy implementation to translate Africa’s climate commitments into tangible development outcomes.
The stakeholders made the call at the fourth edition of the Africa Climate Forum 2026, themed “Implementing in Lockstep: Public-Private Action for Green Outcomes,” which opened on Tuesday at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
The two-day forum, organised by the Global Centre for Law, Business and Economy, brings together policymakers, business leaders, investors, development partners, climate advocates and innovators to explore practical strategies for accelerating climate action and sustainable development across Africa.
Discussions at the forum focused on bridging the gap between climate commitments and implementation, mobilising private-sector investment, strengthening policy frameworks, promoting African-led innovations and ensuring that climate interventions deliver measurable benefits to communities.
In his welcome address, the Convener, Prof. George Nwangwu, said the forum was established to create a platform for bringing together ideas, policies, investments and innovations to address Africa’s climate challenges.
Nwangwu said the initiative had continued to expand in ambition, partnerships and participation since its inception, noting that its planned expansion beyond Nigeria to Accra, Ghana, for the first time reflected its aspiration to become a pan-African platform.
He disclosed that Nairobi, Kenya, was being considered as a possible destination for the forum’s mini-series next year.
According to him, the ambition for the next four years is to build on the achievements of the first four editions through broader participation, stronger partnerships and more concrete outcomes.
“Our ambition is for the Africa Climate Forum to become a platform where ideas translate into policies, policies into investments, and investments into measurable improvements in the lives and livelihoods of African people,” he said.
He stressed that the initiative was not intended to be another conference but a platform for action capable of supporting the implementation of climate policies and commitments across the continent.
The convener observed that despite Africa’s participation in international climate negotiations, development of national climate commitments and advocacy for renewable energy and climate justice, a significant gap remained between promises and actual delivery.
He noted that communities across the continent continued to experience devastating floods, droughts, food insecurity and environmental degradation, while cities and agricultural systems faced increasing climate-related pressures.
Nwangwu also highlighted the contradiction between Africa’s abundant renewable energy resources and the limited access to reliable electricity and clean cooking experienced by many communities.
He argued that the priority should now be to implement existing commitments through practical projects, effective policies and sustainable financing rather than continue making additional promises.
“To implement is to move from aspiration to execution, from promises to projects, and from declarations to delivery,” he said.
Nwangwu explained that achieving climate outcomes in lockstep required coordinated action by governments, private businesses, development finance institutions, researchers, innovators, civil society organisations and local communities.
He said governments must provide appropriate policies, effective institutions and regulatory certainty, while the private sector should contribute capital, innovation and commercial expertise.
Development finance institutions, he added, had a critical role to play in mobilising capital and reducing investment risks, while researchers and innovators needed to develop solutions tailored to Africa’s specific challenges.
The convener maintained that public expenditure and development assistance alone could not provide the resources required to address the scale of the continent’s climate challenges.
He therefore called for increased private investment, entrepreneurship, technological advancement and commercially sustainable solutions, supported by credible regulations, sound governance and effective financing mechanisms.
According to him, such an approach would help direct investments towards resilient infrastructure, affordable and reliable energy, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable cities, green industries and opportunities for African businesses.
“The real measure of climate ambition is not the number of commitments we make, but the outcomes we deliver,” he stated.
He further emphasised the importance of climate finance, adaptation, resilience and international cooperation, noting that these issues were directly linked to Africa’s development, industrialisation, food security and the well-being of its people.
Nwangwu called for climate finance that was adequate, predictable, accessible and affordable, alongside increased investment in adaptation and resilience and effective arrangements for addressing loss and damage.
He identified high financing costs, currency risks, regulatory uncertainty, inadequate project preparation and limited access to long-term capital as major obstacles preventing viable climate projects from attracting the investment needed for implementation.
He said stronger continental cooperation and closer alignment between national priorities and regional strategies were necessary to overcome these barriers and strengthen Africa’s influence in international climate negotiations and multilateral institutions.
To address these challenges, Nwangwu said the forum had structured its programme around four complementary platforms: policy dialogue, investment facilitation, innovation and storytelling.
He explained that the first platform comprised plenary sessions and panel discussions designed to examine policy reforms, institutional barriers, financing mechanisms and partnerships that could accelerate climate action.
He also stressed the need for Africa to develop a more coordinated voice in international climate negotiations, the G20 and engagements with multilateral development banks to advance the continent’s shared climate and development priorities.
The second platform, known as the Deal Room, is designed to connect project developers with investors, financial institutions, development partners, technology providers and public authorities.
According to him, the initiative would help address the obstacles preventing promising climate projects from moving from concept to implementation by facilitating investment discussions, testing business models and identifying potential financing arrangements.
He acknowledged that not every engagement would immediately result in a transaction but said the objective was to move viable projects closer to implementation through improved preparation and stronger partnerships.
The third platform, the Marketplace, provides opportunities for African entrepreneurs, researchers and businesses to showcase innovations in renewable energy, clean cooking, agricultural technology, waste management, water systems and climate resilience.
Nwangwu said African innovators required better access to financing, markets, research partnerships and supportive policies to scale up their solutions.
He maintained that Africa should not be seen merely as a recipient of climate solutions developed elsewhere but also as a source of knowledge, creativity and innovation capable of addressing local and global challenges.
The fourth platform, Climate Stories, was designed to highlight the human impact of climate change while showcasing the resilience and ingenuity of African communities.
He explained that storytelling could connect policy decisions with the lived experiences of farmers, families and communities affected by flooding, drought and water scarcity, while drawing attention to women, young people and entrepreneurs developing climate solutions.
The convener said African stakeholders needed to take greater ownership of the continent’s climate narrative by communicating their priorities, documenting local experiences and demonstrating their capacity to lead climate action.
He noted that the four platforms were designed to reinforce one another, with policy creating the conditions for investment, investment supporting innovation, innovation responding to community needs and storytelling keeping affected populations at the centre of climate decisions.
In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the Founder and Executive Chair of Avocado Holdings, Dr Oge Funlola Modie, by the Head of Business at The Radah Media Company, Mrs Chioma Ikenna-Ibeh, stakeholders were urged to prioritise measurable results over declarations and good intentions.
Modie commended Nwangwu and the team at the Global Centre for Law, Business and Economy for sustaining the forum over the past four years and creating a platform for diverse perspectives on Africa’s climate and development priorities.
She described climate action as fundamentally a development issue that extends beyond environmental protection to include access to reliable energy, food security, resilient infrastructure, economic opportunities and community well-being.
According to her, effective implementation would require governments to provide clear policy direction and an enabling environment, the private sector to contribute investment and practical solutions, and development partners to facilitate access to finance and expertise.
She also stressed the importance of ensuring that local communities had a meaningful voice in shaping interventions that directly affected their lives.
However, Modie cautioned that collaboration must go beyond bringing stakeholders together, emphasising the need for shared priorities, clearly defined responsibilities and accountability for results.
She identified communication as another critical component of effective climate action, arguing that even well-designed policies could struggle to achieve their objectives without public understanding, trust and participation.
Speaking through her representative, she said strategic communication and stakeholder engagement should be integrated into climate implementation from the outset rather than introduced after decisions had been made.
According to her, communication helps connect policies with the people they are intended to serve, builds confidence in institutions and enables communities to participate meaningfully in developing solutions.
“Communication is not merely how we report progress. It is one of the ways we make progress possible,” she said.
Modie urged participants to use the two-day forum to move beyond identifying climate challenges and focus on implementation strategies, the allocation of responsibilities and measurable indicators of success.
She said Africa had no shortage of ambition, ideas or capable people but needed to strengthen its ability to align efforts, sustain partnerships and deliver results.
She expressed hope that the forum would be remembered not only for the quality of its discussions but also for the partnerships strengthened and concrete actions that would follow.
“Ultimately, the credibility of our climate commitments will not be determined by what we promise together, but by what we deliver together,” she said.
In his closing remarks, Nwangwu expressed appreciation to the forum’s sponsors, partners, development organisations, private-sector supporters, speakers, panellists, moderators, exhibitors, innovators and delegates for their contributions to the initiative.
He also acknowledged the team at the Global Centre for Law, Business and Economy for its efforts in planning and coordinating the annual gathering.
He expressed optimism that the engagements and partnerships established during the forum would translate into practical climate interventions capable of improving livelihoods and strengthening Africa’s resilience to climate change.
