Paris, France — Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has made a historic appearance at ChangeNOW 2026, becoming the first Nigerian leader to deliver a keynote address at the globally renowned platform for climate innovation and sustainable development.
Addressing a distinguished audience at the Grand Palais, the Governor called for a decisive shift in global climate discourse—from pledges to performance—emphasizing that the true measure of progress lies in tangible, measurable outcomes. Drawing from Katsina State’s experience, he presented a compelling case for how subnational governments can translate policy ambition into real-world impact.
Governor Radda highlighted the urgency of climate realities in Northern Nigeria, where desertification, water scarcity, and declining agricultural productivity are already shaping economic and social conditions. He noted that these challenges have driven the State to adopt a proactive and systems-driven approach, placing renewable energy and climate resilience at the core of its development strategy.
Central to his address was Katsina State’s growing portfolio of renewable energy and climate interventions. The Governor underscored the large-scale deployment of solar-powered irrigation systems, which are transforming agricultural productivity, improving food security, and reducing dependence on fossil fuel-powered alternatives. He also highlighted ongoing efforts to expand decentralized clean energy access across rural and underserved communities, ensuring that energy transition directly improves livelihoods.
In the area of sustainable mobility, the State has begun the integration of electric tricycles and hybrid buses, signaling a forward-looking transition toward cleaner urban transport systems. Complementing these initiatives are clean cooking solutions aimed at reducing reliance on firewood, improving public health outcomes, and mitigating environmental degradation.
These coordinated interventions, the Governor noted, have significantly enhanced investor confidence, attracting over $50 million in green investments into the State. He further pointed to Katsina’s rapid rise from 25th to 2nd position nationally in climate governance rankings as evidence of strengthened institutions, policy coherence, and disciplined execution.
Reaffirming the State’s long-term vision, Governor Radda outlined ambitious 2030 targets, including achieving 50 percent renewable energy adoption in urban centres, expanding clean energy access to 70 percent of the population, increasing forest cover by 25 percent, and lifting 500,000 people out of poverty through climate-aligned economic growth.
“The defining factor in climate action going forward will not be the scale of ambition, but the strength of systems and the consistency with which results are delivered,” the Governor stated.
As part of the high-level engagements in Paris, Governor Radda was accompanied by the First Lady of Katsina State, Hajiya Zulaihat Dikko Radda, and his Special Adviser on Power and Energy, Dr Hafiz Ibrahim Ahmed. Dr. Ahmed played a key technical and strategic role throughout the summit, leading engagements with international stakeholders, advancing the State’s renewable energy roadmap, and facilitating discussions around climate finance and scalable project development.
A major highlight of the visit was the successful signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Katsina State Government and LDN Advisory. The agreement establishes a strategic framework for the development of Nature-Based Solutions projects across the State, anchored on Land Degradation Neutrality principles.
According to Dr. Ahmed, the partnership is designed to unlock climate finance, strengthen biodiversity conservation, and build a pipeline of high-integrity, bankable projects that deliver long-term environmental and socio-economic benefits for communities.
Governor Radda’s participation at ChangeNOW 2026 builds on earlier engagements with Santiago Lefebvre, whose discussions with the Governor in November 2025 laid the foundation for the expanding collaboration between Katsina State and global climate stakeholders.
The summit attracted over 40,000 participants from more than 140 countries, including leading investors, policymakers, innovators, and development partners committed to advancing climate solutions at scale.
Katsina State’s presence at ChangeNOW 2026 underscores its emergence as a leading subnational actor in renewable energy deployment and climate governance, demonstrating how integrated, well-executed strategies can deliver both environmental sustainability and inclusive economic growth.
Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Katsina State
07 April, 2026
