Katsina State has been ranked second in the 2025 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Rating and Ranking — an independent, research-based assessment developed by Professor Chukwumerije Okereke and the Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP). This marks one of the most significant recognitions of subnational climate leadership in Nigeria. Katsina’s leap of 23 places from the previous year demonstrates tangible improvements in governance capacity and policy innovation directly informed by this evidence-based evaluation framework.
The rating, launched in Abuja on October 14, 2025, by the Federal Ministry of Environment in partnership with SPP, the UK FCDO’s Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE), the African Climate Foundation, and others, assesses all 36 states across five governance pillars: institutional structures, policy frameworks, budgeting, implementation and monitoring, and public engagement.
Professor Mohammed Al-Amin, Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate Change, noted:
““This recognition heartens us. Coming in second among all Nigerian states is a clear signal that Katsina’s Green Growth Agenda is yielding results. Our administration is deeply committed to climate governance, not only in policy formulation, but also in practical implementation and transparency. We want climate action to translate into real, visible improvements in the lives of our people.”
Contuining, he says:
The recognition validates our reforms and the technical guidance we’ve drawn from the Climate Governance Performance framework. It shows that evidence-based research can translate directly into institutional and policy change at state level.”
Professor Al-Amin highlighted the key areas of progress that contributed to the state’s strong performance and how these actions were premised on the rating and ranking methodology published by SPP in collaboration with the Federal government earlier in 2024:
Key Research-Informed Impacts
- Institutional Strengthening: Guided by the performance indicators developed through the national Climate Governance Ranking research, Katsina established climate governance desks across ministries and created formal coordination mechanisms with local governments.
- Policy Uptake: The 2024 Katsina State Climate Resilience and Green Economy Policy was designed to align with performance benchmarks highlighted in the Rating methodology, showing direct research-to-policy translation. One of the landmark policy innovations inspired by the ranking was the passage and implementation of the Katsina State Climate Resilience and Green Economy Policy (2024).
- Budgetary Reform: Noting the high marks allocated to climate finance, we pushed very hard to drive climate-related funding which subsequently rose by 30% in 2025 — a measurable outcome linked to the project’s budgeting criteria and follow-up capacity-building workshops led by the research team.
- Implementation and Public Accountability: The launch of Katsina Climate Watch, a digital transparency platform, mirrors the project’s call for improved visibility and citizen engagement in climate projects.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda praised the result describing it as:
“A testament to our administration’s proactive approach to governance, innovation, and environmental responsibility.”
He said this was a perfect example of “how collaborative research and data-driven policy can drive real transformation in governance and public service delivery.”
The Federal Minister of Environment, Hon. Balarabe Abbas, commended the top-performing states, urging others to adopt the Ranking framework as a “map for reform and learning.”
Katsina’s achievement demonstrates how rigorous academic research can have direct and verifiable impacts on public policy, institutional design, and environmental outcomes. The state’s adoption of evidence-based recommendations from the Subnational Climate Governance Performance Ranking illustrates a model of research-informed decision-making now influencing both federal-state collaboration and peer learning among subnational governments.