By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Africa Climate Forum (ACF) 2026 will focus on translating Africa’s climate commitments into concrete and measurable action as policymakers, business leaders, investors and climate practitioners converge in Abuja on October 13 and 14.
The fourth edition of the Forum, organised by the Global Centre for Law, Business and Economy (GCLBE), will hold at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, under the theme, “Implementing in Lockstep: Public-Private Action for Green Outcomes.”
The two-day event, which will feature both physical and virtual participation from across Africa and beyond, is expected to examine how governments, businesses, financial institutions and development partners can strengthen collaboration to accelerate the continent’s climate transition.
The Forum comes at a time when Africa’s climate ambitions are increasingly being confronted by challenges around financing, institutional coordination and implementation.
Among those expected at the event are Ambassador Philbert Abaka Johnson, Director and UNIDO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS; Mr Olasupo Shasore, SAN, Senior Partner at Africa Law Practice NG & Company; Hon. Sam Onuigbo, Governing Board Member and Chairman of the Committee on Security, Special Interventions and Climate Change at the North East Development Commission; Dr Salisu Dahiru, former Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change; and Engr. Chijioke Okwuokenye, Managing Director of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company.
Other expected participants include Dr Forster Boateng, Managing Director of C4Impact Advisory Group; Dr Gloria Boamah Kusi, Senior Sustainability Officer at the Jospong Green Transition Office; Dr Debany Fonseca Batista, Research Associate at Dalhousie University’s CERC.OCEAN Laboratory and Executive Director of the DOTCAN Institute; and Claudette Hutchinson, Chief Executive Officer and AI Implementation Architect at Owning My.
Speaking on the Forum, its Convener and Director-General of GCLBE, Prof. George Nwangwu, said climate action requires more than commitments, stressing the need for governments, businesses and financial institutions to work together to achieve measurable outcomes.
“Climate action requires more than ambition. It requires governments, businesses and financial institutions to move together. We have an opportunity to refine our partnerships, forge new ones, and make bold commitments that can translate into meaningful action,” he said.
The programme will feature plenary sessions addressing critical issues affecting Africa’s climate transition, including private-sector participation, carbon markets, energy access and natural gas, food security and adaptation, community-led climate action, human rights and the just transition.
Participants will also examine the role of artificial intelligence, data and digital technologies in improving climate planning, implementation and delivery.
A major component of the Forum will be the ACF Deal Room, designed to connect climate project developers and green businesses with investors and financial institutions. The initiative will run throughout the two-day event and is expected to provide opportunities for partnerships and access to climate finance.
The Forum will also host a Pulitzer Centre side event on Journalism, Climate Action and Civic Space Engagement, which will explore the role of public-interest journalism in strengthening climate accountability, improving public understanding and amplifying the experiences of communities affected by climate change.
The Abuja gathering follows climate conversations held by ACF in Accra earlier in the year, where stakeholders discussed climate partnerships, financing, just transition and public-private collaboration.
Since its inaugural edition in 2023, the Africa Climate Forum has provided a platform for policymakers, businesses, investors and development stakeholders to deliberate on Africa’s climate response.
The 2026 edition is expected to deepen that engagement by placing implementation, investment and measurable climate outcomes at the centre of Africa’s climate agenda.
